Deputy Prime Minister urges progress on North-South expressway project.

On December 11th, Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung chaired a meeting to review the investment in the North-South expressway.

According to a report from the Ministry of Transport, preparations are currently on schedule. The Ministry has approved the contractor selection plan for all 11 projects.

For the three public investment projects, the Cao Bo-Mai Son and Cam Lo-La Son sections are expected to have contractors selected by December 2018; for the My Thuan 2 Bridge project, the Ministry is currently reviewing the bidding documents.

The North-South Expressway project, during the 2017-2020 period, will involve the construction of a four-lane highway and land clearance according to the plan. The Ministry of Transport has sent documents to the provinces through which the project passes regarding the projected land use area, assigning the project management boards the task of working specifically with the local authorities.

Currently, the provinces have made decisions on land clearance for 10 out of 11 projects (the My Thuan 2 bridge project has not yet been implemented).

As the first priority section to be constructed, the Cao Bo - Mai Son project has now completed the placement of land clearance markers on the ground and handed them over to the local authorities for counting and surveying. Other projects are currently in the process of preparing preliminary design documents for land clearance marker placement.

To date, the Ministry of Transport has approved the technical design survey tasks for 4 out of 11 projects, including Cao Bo - Mai Son, National Highway 45 - Nghi Son, Cam Lo - La Son, and My Thuan 2 Bridge; the other 5 projects are currently under appraisal.

Concluding the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung emphasized that the North-South expressway is a particularly important project, and upon completion, it will shorten travel time and reduce costs compared to other road routes.

According to him, this expressway will connect national highways, local roads, and other modes of transport to form a comprehensive network; support some sections of National Highway 1 in case of natural disasters or incidents; ensure smooth North-South traffic flow under all conditions, and in the context where it is not yet possible to invest in a high-speed railway.

Highly appreciating the systematic and timely implementation steps taken by ministries, sectors, and localities in the past period, the Deputy Prime Minister requested that the units continue to implement investment preparation on schedule and fully comply with legal regulations.

"In the coming period, it is necessary to urgently complete tasks such as technical design and land clearance according to the set schedule. The Ministry of Transport should soon organize a meeting with all localities along the entire route to agree on a plan," the Deputy Prime Minister instructed.

The Ministries of Planning and Investment, Finance, and Construction are tasked with providing guidance on related matters in accordance with legal regulations to expedite project implementation.

During the period 2017-2020, the North-South Expressway project invested in 654 km, divided into 11 component projects, including sections from Cao Bo (Nam Dinh) to Bai Vot (Ha Tinh); from Cam Lo (Quang Tri) to La Son (Thua Thien Hue); from Nha Trang (Khanh Hoa) to Dau Giay (Dong Nai), My Thuan 2 Bridge, Tien Giang and Vinh Long.

Of the 11 projects, 3 utilize state budget funds and 8 involve public-private partnerships (PPP). The total investment for these 8 projects is estimated at approximately VND 104,070 billion, of which VND 40,360 billion is state investment allocated for land acquisition and resettlement. The National Assembly has requested that these projects be substantially completed by 2021.