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| Ongoing construction on the North-South Expressway (Chí Thạnh-Vân Phong section). — VNA/VNS Photo Xuân Thiệu |
HÀ NỘI — More than VNĐ247 trillion (US$9 billion) is needed to upgrade 28 expressways in terms of traffic safety, according to a recent report from the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI).
Resources will be prioritised to upgrade completed or ongoing two-lane expressway projects to four-lane roads and areas prone to accidents or traffic congestion, especially on the eastern section of the North-South Expressway.
PPP (public-private partnership) projects are also eligible for an upgrade if their specific funding and investment procedures permit.
“The investment must align with the funding sources, balance and disbursement, in accordance with the annual and medium-term public investment plans of the State and local budgets as well as the current laws,” reads the MPI’s document.
The 28 projects proposed for investment include public investment projects, PPP projects and projects managed by the state-owned Vietnam Expressway Corporation (VEC).
The 23 public investment projects include expressways that are in operation (Cam Lộ-La Sơn, La Sơn-Hòa Liên, Cao Bồ-Mai Sơn, Mai Sơn-National Route 45, National Route 45-Nghi Sơn, Nghi Sơn-Diễn Châu, Diễn Châu-Bãi Vọt, Nha Trang-Cam Lâm, Cam Lâm-Vĩnh Hảo, Vĩnh Hảo-Phan Thiết, Phan Thiết-Dầu Giây) and those under construction (Tuyên Quang-Hà Giang, Bãi Vọt-Hàm Nghi, Hàm Nghi-Vũng Áng, Vũng Áng-Bùng, Bùng-Vạn Ninh, Vạn Ninh-Cam Lộ, Quảng Ngãi-Hoài Nhơn, Hoài Nhơn-Quy Nhơn, Quy Nhơn-Chí Thạnh, Chí Thạnh-Vân Phong, Vân Phong-Nha Trang).
The two PPP projects in the proposal are Hoà Lạc-Hòa Bình and HCM City-Trung Lương-Mỹ Thuận.
The three VEC-run projects are Hà Nội-Lào Cai (at the Yên Bái-Lào Cai section), HCM City-Long Thành-Dầu Giây and Cầu Giẽ-Ninh Bình.
According to the MPI, more than VNĐ15.5 trillion ($608.7 million) can be deployed from the medium-term public investment plan for 2021-2025 due to increased budget revenues in 2022 and 2023.
The ministry also proposed that the Prime Minister consider approving a government bond package of approximately VNĐ165 trillion ($6.5 billion) for public transportation projects.
The transport ministry should also prioritise scaling up the four-lane projects on the North-South Expressway to respond to the passenger and goods transportation demands with a long-term vision of over 20 years, the MPI’s document states. — VNS
