On October 23, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Head of the Steering Committee for Key Projects and Important National Railway Projects, chaired the 4th meeting of the Steering Committee. The meeting was held online, connecting provinces and cities through which the railway lines pass.
During the meeting, the Steering Committee focused on reviewing and evaluating the tasks set forth, particularly those outlined in the 3rd meeting. They assessed the achievements, challenges, and bottlenecks that require resolution, especially institutional hurdles, to promptly submit them to the National Assembly for consideration and supplementation.
Of particular note was the progress of the Lao Cai – Hanoi – Hai Phong standard railway project. The committee reviewed land clearance efforts for the North-South high-speed railway in various localities, as well as urban railway projects in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
The Prime Minister assigned specific tasks to ministries and localities, emphasizing two critical missions. The Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Construction were urged to expedite the issuance of relevant standards, regulations, and investment selection procedures.
Regarding funding for land clearance and Component 1 of the North-South high-speed railway and the Lao Cai – Hanoi – Hai Phong route, the Prime Minister directed the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Construction to swiftly allocate funds to localities for disbursement. Localities were also encouraged to proactively advance funds, ensuring flexibility and urgency. They were tasked with accurately reporting capital needs to the Ministry of Construction and the Ministry of Finance for timely allocation and coordination, preventing delays due to funding shortages.
The Ministry of Construction, in collaboration with the Ministry of Justice, was instructed to continue reviewing, synthesizing, and perfecting mechanisms and policies for submission to the National Assembly. This aims to address all legal obstacles, mobilizing both state and non-state resources, as well as central and local funds, for these projects.
For the Lao Cai – Hanoi – Hai Phong railway project, the Prime Minister directed the Ministry of Construction to lead and coordinate with the People’s Committees of Hai Phong, Hanoi, and Bac Ninh. They are to urgently finalize the route plan and the locations of the remaining stations (Nam Hai Phong, Yen Thuong, and Kim Son) by October 2025. These stations are large-scale and complex, intersecting with railway and road networks, and impacting river flows.
The Prime Minister urged proactive efforts to advance railway projects and technology transfer – Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac
The Prime Minister tasked the Ministry of Construction with preparing all necessary conditions to ensure the groundbreaking of Component 1 (infrastructure investment for station connections and plazas using domestic capital) on December 19, 2025. He stressed the need to review and ensure compliance with legal procedures and National Assembly resolutions.
Additionally, the Prime Minister directed the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment to expedite the appraisal and approval of the environmental impact assessment and forest land conversion dossiers for Component 1, to be completed by October 25, 2025.
The Ministry of Finance was instructed to swiftly establish a negotiation team and initiate negotiations for the framework agreement and loan contracts. They were also urged to implement the Prime Minister’s directive on proposing government bond issuance for the project, ensuring proactive and ready capital deployment.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs was tasked with continuing to urge China to accelerate the feasibility study report for Component 2 (railway construction) and other cooperative efforts.
According to the National Assembly’s resolution, the Lao Cai – Hanoi – Hai Phong railway project spans approximately 419 km with a total investment of 203.231 trillion VND (equivalent to 8.37 billion USD). The project passes through six provinces and cities: Lao Cai, Phu Tho, Hanoi, Bac Ninh, Hung Yen, and Hai Phong.
The starting point is at the border rail connection between the new Lao Cai Station and Hekou Station (China), located in Lao Cai City. The endpoint is at Lach Huyen Port in Hai Phong City.
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