The Vietnamese government is planning to expand the Ho Chi Minh City – Trung Luong highway to 10-12 lanes. This decision was made to improve transportation infrastructure and facilitate smoother traffic flow.
According to the announcement, the Prime Minister has directed the Ministry of Transport to advise on investing in the expansion of the Ho Chi Minh City – Trung Luong – My Thuan highway since July 2023. Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha also assigned the ministry to research and propose investments through Document No. 6727/VPCP-CN dated August 31, 2023.
While the ministry has selected and worked with investors to propose the project and develop a pre-feasibility study report, the implementation of the government’s directives has been slower than expected, partly due to the need to wait for the Road Law to take effect on January 1, 2025. The ministry is now urged to expedite the following steps to commence the project in the second quarter of 2025.
Regarding the investment scale, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha agreed with the proposal put forth by the Ministry of Transport and the investors. However, further discussions are needed with relevant local authorities to finalize the optimal investment scale, ensuring feasibility and timely construction. The ministry, investors, and consultants are responsible for the accuracy of data and forecasts, especially traffic volume predictions.
As per Document No. 5498/VPCP-CN dated July 20, 2023, the Prime Minister directed that the local authority should be the implementing agency. Therefore, the Ministry of Transport is requested to coordinate with the People’s Committee of Tien Giang province (or relevant local authorities) and report to the Prime Minister for consideration and decision in January 2025. This decision should be made in the spirit of ensuring the smooth and efficient implementation of the project. If the Ministry of Transport is deemed more suitable as the implementing agency to ensure faster progress, a report must be submitted to the Prime Minister.
Investors Must Possess Sufficient Capability and Experience
Regarding the selection of investors, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha assigned the Ministry of Transport to coordinate with the Ministry of Planning and Investment to propose a selection method in accordance with the Law on Bidding No. 57/2024/QH15. The chosen investors must possess the necessary capability and experience to expedite project implementation.
The Ministry of Transport has proposed to the Prime Minister to adjust the planning of the Ho Chi Minh City – Trung Luong section to a scale of 10-12 lanes. The ministry has also taken on board the opinions of the leaders of the Ministry of Planning and Investment during the meeting. They are now working swiftly with relevant local authorities to establish a land clearance project in accordance with the planning scale. Additionally, they are coordinating with the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Ministry of Finance to balance legal and feasible capital sources for the local authorities to implement immediately, avoiding additional costs and facilitating the expansion process.
