Proposing a special mechanism for the North-South high-speed railway project.

On the morning of October 5th, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Head of the State Steering Committee for National Key Projects and Transport Sector Projects, chaired a meeting of the Government Standing Committee with ministries and agencies on the investment policy for the North-South high-speed railway project and the progress of railway projects connecting with China.

Also attending were: Standing Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Hoa Binh; Deputy Prime Ministers Tran Hong Ha, Le Thanh Long, and Ho Duc Phoc; and ministers and leaders of central ministries and agencies.

The Politburo and the Central Committee have approved the investment plan for the North-South high-speed railway, assigning the Government to develop the plan and submit it to the 15th National Assembly at its 8th session.

The project involved the Ministry of Transport, along with other ministries and agencies, actively researching experiences and referencing models from 22 countries and territories, and organizing study tours to 6 countries that possess and master high-speed rail technology.

Based on that, the proposal is for a North-South high-speed railway line with a length of 1,541 km, designed for a speed of 350 km/h; the line will have 23 passenger stations and 5 freight stations, starting from Ngoc Hoi station in Hanoi, passing through 20 provinces and cities, and ending at Thu Thiem station in Ho Chi Minh City; preliminary calculations estimate the total investment for the project to be approximately 67.34 billion USD.

The Ministry of Transport aims to complete the investment plan by 2025-2026 after submitting it to the National Assembly for approval; tendering for the selection of international consultants, conducting surveys, and preparing a pre-feasibility study report; implementing land clearance, selecting contractors, and commencing construction of the Hanoi-Vinh and Nha Trang-Ho Chi Minh City sections by the end of 2027; commencing construction of the Vinh-Nha Trang section in 2028-2029; and striving to complete the entire route by 2035.

According to the Ministry of Transport, relevant ministries and agencies are actively developing and implementing three railway lines connecting Vietnam and China: Lao Cai-Hanoi-Hai Phong; Lang Son-Hanoi; and Mong Cai-Ha Long-Hai Phong.

The Lao Cai-Hanoi-Hai Phong railway line is approximately 380km long, with a planned track gauge of 1,435mm, for passenger and freight transport, passenger train speeds of 160km/h, and freight train speeds of approximately 120km/h; the total estimated investment is approximately 11.6 billion USD.

The Hanoi-Lang Son railway line is approximately 156km long, with an expected investment scale of 1,435mm gauge, transporting passengers and goods, passenger trains at 160km/h, and freight trains at approximately 120km/h; the total estimated investment is about 6.0 billion USD.

The Hai Phong-Ha Long-Mong Cai railway line, approximately 187km long, is planned to have a track gauge of 1,435mm, passenger train speeds of 160km/h, and freight train speeds of approximately 120km/h; the total estimated investment is around 7.0 billion USD.

At the meeting, the Standing Committee of the Government and leaders of ministries and sectors discussed the significance and importance of investing in railway projects for national development; analyzed the national context, international experience in investment, operation, and socio-economic effectiveness; the political and legal basis for implementing the Central Committee's policy, and especially proposed the need for a special mechanism for mobilizing resources and investment procedures for the North-South high-speed railway project.

Delegates also offered opinions on route alignment, investment standards, technology; railway industry development, human resource training, management, and operation of the railway system…

Concluding the meeting, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized that the meeting of the Government Standing Committee with ministries and agencies aimed to implement the Central Committee's Resolution and the Politburo's conclusions on the investment policy for the high-speed railway project on the North-South axis.

Given that the Central Committee and the Politburo have agreed on the basic principles and contents of the project, the Prime Minister requested the lead ministry and relevant ministries and agencies to closely adhere to the Central Committee and Politburo's guidelines, while incorporating as many opinions as possible from the Government Standing Committee and leaders of ministries and sectors, in order to submit the project to the Appraisal Council and finalize the dossier before October 20, 2024, for submission to the National Assembly, with the spirit of "thorough research and rapid implementation."

The Prime Minister stated that the Central Committee and the Politburo have unanimously agreed on the policy of investing in the construction of the entire North-South high-speed railway line, with a design speed of 350 km/h; as a dual-use railway, contributing to socio-economic development and ensuring national defense and security. He emphasized the need for thorough research and analysis of the project's effectiveness, not only in economic terms, but also in its overall impact.

Therefore, the study proposes an investment plan for the North-South high-speed railway line with the straightest possible route, avoiding major residential areas, minimizing costs, and ensuring the fastest possible implementation to serve national development as soon as possible…

The arrangement and construction of stations should be appropriate, maximizing their functionality to serve socio-economic development, ensuring security and national defense for localities and the entire region, with a long-term vision, but avoiding waste.

This railway line must be constructed in accordance with national and sectoral planning, ensuring connectivity with other infrastructure and modes of transport such as air and sea; connecting domestic economic corridors and connecting with countries in the region such as China, Laos, and Cambodia…

The Prime Minister requested a review of investment rates and preliminary total investment amounts to ensure the highest possible accuracy; a review and proposal of specific mechanisms, especially for project implementation, particularly regarding resource mobilization and procedures, and specific policies on land, site clearance, and construction materials, with the motto "procedures must be streamlined, construction must be shortened"; proposals for issues under the authority of the National Assembly should be submitted to the Standing Committee of the National Assembly for consideration first; and issues under the authority of the Government should be chaired by the Standing Committee of the Government.

Regarding resources, it is necessary to propose mechanisms for mobilizing and diversifying resources, including public investment resources from the central and local governments; resources from bond issuance, loans, and other legitimate sources. Along with financial resources, the entire country's human resources and facilities must be mobilized to serve the project.

Regarding organization, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh clarified that the Government has established a Task Force, in which the Support Team plays a crucial role, and a Deputy Minister of Transport must be appointed specifically to handle this matter. He emphasized that the approach should not be rigid, as the situation may change and implementation methods must be adapted. The Prime Minister assigned Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha to directly oversee the implementation of the investment plan for the high-speed railway project on the North-South axis.

The Prime Minister has directed the strengthening of international cooperation to secure financial resources, technology transfer, human resource training, and management science to build, manage, and operate the railway line in the safest, most scientific, and highly efficient manner.