Traffic connection, creating development momentum

(Baonghean) - Nghe An Newspaper interviewed Mr. Nguyen Hong Ky - Member of the Provincial Party Committee, Director of the Department of Transport.

N5 asphalt concrete pavement. Photo source

PV:Sir, in 2016, the Transport sector continued to achieve achievements in many fields. Could you share the milestones of key projects connecting transport, creating prospects for socio-economic development in general and tourism in particular?

Mr. Nguyen Hong Ky:One of the highlights of the transport sector in 2016 was that the sector actively called for investment attraction, creatively combined capital sources, accelerated the progress of unfinished projects and implemented a number of new projects.

In 2016, the output of investment in construction of traffic works invested by the Department was estimated at 1,100 billion VND, disbursement was estimated at 928,003 billion VND. Of which, important projects include: Completion and putting into use the traffic road project connecting National Highway 1A to Thai Hoa town and Nghia Dan district.

In particular, the Yen Xuan bridge was inaugurated and put into use - the bridge connecting the two banks of Lam River connecting Nghe An and Ha Tinh provinces, eliminating the isolation of road traffic in the Southwest of Nghe An and Northwest of Ha Tinh; and the Cua Hoi bridge was started.

Put into operation the project to upgrade National Highway 48, National Highway 15A through Truong Bon relic site; the western service road of National Highway 1A, Quan Hanh - Quan Banh section; Dai Hue mountain eco-tourism road. At the same time, attract capital from the Central and local governments to implement new important traffic projects connecting N5 road of Southeast Economic Zone to Hoa Son, Do Luong.

The industry has successfully coordinated to organize the opening ceremony of Vinh - Nha Trang and Vinh - Bangkok (Thailand) routes, increasing the total number of currently operating routes to 8, with an average of 12-14 flights/day, including Vinh - Ho Chi Minh City: 8 flights/day; Vinh - Hanoi: 2 flights/day.

Vinh airport has been invested in synchronously and modernly. Photo: Thanh Le

One of the successes of Nghe An Transport sector in 2016 was advising the Ministry of Transport to decide to upgrade 620.4km of provincial roads to national highways. This result shows that, in the context of capital difficulties, the Transport sector has been proactive and creative in seizing opportunities to annually attract 400-500 billion VND of central capital to the locality to invest in upgrading, maintaining and repairing traffic routes, creating favorable conditions for trade, especially connecting tourism development.

PV:On the occasion of the 42nd Anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification on April 30 this year, Nghe An province has many meaningful activities, including the inauguration of the N5 route connecting the Southeast Economic Zone to Hoa Son (Do Luong) invested by the Department of Transport. What is the significance of this project to the economic development of the province, sir?

Mr. Nguyen Hong Ky:Route N5 connecting the Southeast Economic Zone to Hoa Son (Do Luong) is expected to become a traffic axis to develop the East-West economic corridor and create development momentum for the western districts of Nghe An province.

Given the urgency of the route, in recent times, provincial leaders have regularly inspected the construction site, directly directed and mobilized the entire political system of Nghi Loc and Do Luong districts to participate.

The site clearance work was supported by the people and was completed in time to hand over to the construction unit to speed up the progress. The Department of Transport and related units resolutely directed and urged the contractor to concentrate the highest human resources, machinery and equipment to implement the project to ensure safety and efficiency.

This route is 29.1km long, approved as 2 specific projects with a total capital of over 1,265 billion VND. Up to now, after more than 1 year of construction, the project will be inaugurated on April 30, 2017.

The inauguration of the project to invest in the construction of a road connecting N5 Road from the Southeast Economic Zone to Hoa Son (Do Luong) is of great significance. This is a long-term strategic route, contributing to creating momentum for the socio-economic development of the entire western region of the province.

After completion of the project, it will form a traffic route connecting the Southeast Economic Zone, Cua Lo Deep Water Port with the Western economic region, which will be the driving force for socio-economic development, ensuring national defense and security for the Western region, contributing to improving the capacity of freight transport, serving the need to transport raw materials and products from industrial parks and factories in the western districts of Nghe An province to the plain districts.

In particular, the project will serve the transportation of cement for Song Lam Cement Factory (Do Luong) with a capacity of 4 million tons/year and Song Lam 2 Cement Factory (Anh Son) with a capacity of 0.6 million tons/year.

This project also helps Nghe An province complete a synchronous and gradually modernized transportation system as set out in Resolution 26 of the Politburo and Decision 2355 of the Prime Minister approving the socio-economic development project of the western region of Nghe An province until 2020.

The inauguration of the project demonstrates the efforts of the People's Committee of Nghe An province and the Department of Transport in connecting transport infrastructure, creating the most favorable conditions for investors when choosing Nghe An as a destination. At the same time, this is also the driving force for connecting tourism development in a continuous chain from the mountains to the sea.

Route N5 connects the Southeast Economic Zone to Hoa Son, Do Luong district (section through Hoa Son commune - Do Luong). Photo: Thanh Le

PV:Following the achievements of 2016, what breakthroughs will the transport sector continue to make in the field of transport infrastructure development, sir?

GrandfatherNguyen Hong Ky:Promoting the achieved results, in 2017, under the leadership of the Provincial Party Committee, People's Council, Provincial People's Committee, the Transport sector continued to make a strong breakthrough in the transport sector. The Department will continue to work with the central ministries, branches, provincial People's Committee, departments, branches and sectors to complete the procedures for implementing the construction of the following projects: Muong Xen - Ta Do - Khe Kien road (Ky Son); National Highway 48, National Highway 15, promoting the implementation of the Hanoi - Vientiane expressway project through Thanh Thuy border gate (Thanh Chuong); Thanh Nam bridge (Con Cuong), coastal road from Nghi Son (Thanh Hoa) to Cua Lo (Nghe An); road connecting National Highway 48 - National Highway 45; suspension bridges for people...

The Department of Transport actively coordinates to promptly deploy and accelerate the progress of projects such as: upgrading and expanding Vinh Airport, opening some Vinh - Korea, Vinh - Phu Quoc flights; upgrading Vinh Station, upgrading and modernizing the North - South railway section through Nghe An, building Cua Lo port cluster into an international port, Dong Hoi port; projects on roads to commune centers, raw material area roads, urban roads, tourist roads, rescue roads in flood areas, bridges across rivers to replace ferry piers, etc.

Coordinate to speed up the construction of the Nghi Son - Vinh expressway and the expressway connecting Thanh Thuy border gate, Ho Chi Minh road with the North - South expressway; the road connecting National Highway 45 (Thanh Hoa) with National Highway 48; the Nghi Son - Cua Hoi coastal road. Propose to build some bypasses through urban areas, railway overpasses with provincial roads at key points.

In the intra-provincial connectivity strategy, to connect Vinh - Cua Lo, Cua Hoi, the Department of Transport is investing in the construction of the Vinh - Cua Lo boulevard, nearly 11km long, with a total investment of 1,411,000 million VND.

Vinh - Cua Lo route is a traffic axis that quickly connects two urban areas, Vinh city and Cua Lo tourist town, which is of great significance in forming an architectural space axis, creating a basis for attracting investment in construction, promoting socio-economic development of the whole region; contributing significantly to the implementation of the project to develop Vinh city into an economic - cultural center of the North Central region approved by the Prime Minister.

PV:Sir, developing air transport is also the direction of the province to attract investment and develop tourism. So, what plans does the provincial Department of Transport have to continue implementing this direction?

GrandfatherNguyen Hong Ky:Vinh Airport is growing, gradually becoming a complete, synchronous and modern airport to meet the needs of exploitation and use. In early 2015, Vietnam Airlines Corporation announced the plan to turn Vinh Airport into an international airport.

This event not only contributes to attracting domestic and foreign enterprises to explore investment opportunities in Nghe An, but also connects and strongly develops the tourism industry; at the same time, it is an important highlight for Nghe An to take off, contributing to promoting the socio-economic development of the province and the entire North Central region.

With its convenient location, Vinh Airport is effectively connecting with Noi Bai International Airport, Tan Son Nhat and neighboring airports, creating a nationwide network of civil airports.

Road maintenance. Photo: Thanh Le

To meet the development needs, the industry will advise on continuing to upgrade and expand Vinh airport. At the same time, open more air routes connecting Nghe An with other provinces in the country and countries around the world to promote economic cooperation in all fields; create favorable conditions for tourism businesses of Vietnam and other countries to easily design many attractive tours and tourist routes by air, meeting the increasing travel needs of the people and also creating conditions to attract tourists and investors to Nghe An and the North Central region.

PV:To achieve the goal of developing transport infrastructure, what solutions will the industry focus on, sir?

GrandfatherNguyen Hong Ky:First of all, the sector will regularly update the Central Government's policies and sector plans, local socio-economic plans, targets of Party Congress Resolutions at all levels and socio-economic development requirements of the province to serve as a basis for supplementing and adjusting plans, projects, mechanisms and policies for transport development in the province.

In particular, there are reasonable solutions to mobilize capital sources for the program of developing transport infrastructure in the province from government bonds, central and local budgets. Attract and effectively use ODA capital, preferential credit loans, issue project bonds, mobilize capital from enterprises to invest in construction in the province.

Traffic corridor maintenance. Photo: Thanh Le

Take advantage of and make the most of integrating capital sources from local target programs such as hunger eradication, poverty reduction, resettlement, programs 135, 30a, new rural areas, etc. Capital sources support foreign organizations such as WB, JBIC, NGOs, etc. Develop preferential policies, incentives to encourage investment, and carry out investment promotion well to attract investors to implement transportation projects in the forms of BOT, BT, PPP, etc.

At the same time, focus on quality management, from investment preparation, investment implementation and post-investment. Continue to promote administrative reform. Strengthen the quality of staff. Focus on directing the removal of difficulties in site clearance, searching for construction materials, etc. to speed up the progress of projects to put them into use soon, promote the effectiveness of traffic works, contribute to socio-economic development, ensure national defense and security.

PV:Thank you very much!

Thanh Le

(Perform)