The Ministry of Planning and Investment has announced the conclusion of the appraisal meeting for the pre-feasibility report of the high-speed rail project on the North-South axis. The Appraisal Council requested that the Ministry of Transport focus on several contents regarding the project dossier and forecast the transport demand on the North-South corridor.
Regarding the main technical solutions, specifically the orientation and location of the stations, the Council requested that the Ministry of Transport explain its implementation of the direction given by the Government’s Standing Committee.
The Council instructed, “The technical elements of the orientation must be as straight as possible to reduce costs (especially the section through Nam Dinh province), ensure operating speed for trains, create new development space, avoid residential and urban areas but must have appropriate and convenient connection plans to provide the shortest connection to airports and major seaports; facilitate the linkage of the East-West corridor and connect with the railways of China, Laos, and Cambodia.”
In Vietnam, the orientation and station locations of the project must also be reviewed and adjusted, especially in locations with advantages in connecting to major transportation hubs and economic zones…
The Appraisal Council requested that the Ministry of Transport focus on several contents regarding the project dossier and transport demand forecast on the North-South corridor.
Regarding the operating speed, the Ministry of Transport is requested to elaborate on the technical requirements of the route with a design speed of 350km/h in operating container cargo trains.
The scale of the stations needs to clarify how they will meet auxiliary needs such as parking lots and connections with other means of transportation… The minimum area should follow international conventions. The stations must calculate and determine a sufficiently large area that aligns with the long-term strategic vision to develop full services, modernize, and maximize the efficiency of land resources and new development spaces… Additionally, consider not determining the maximum scale of the stations according to the opinions of some localities.
The Council also suggested clarifying the parameters of the investment scale, reviewing the content of the assessment of socio-economic and financial effectiveness, and clarifying the capital mobilization plan and the ability to balance capital.
“Carefully review and clarify the mechanisms and policies that are truly necessary for the project to report to the National Assembly for consideration and decision- ensuring legal validity and feasibility of implementation; clarify the proposed mechanisms and policies on supporting technology transfer enterprises; seek ODA loans, and preferential foreign loans with low costs,” the Council requested.
Based on the Council’s vote, the permanent agency of the Council will finalize the appraisal report and submit it to the Chairman of the Council for approval and presentation to the Government on October 17.
