The Prime Minister’s Pivotal Announcement on the $67.3 Billion Mega-Project: Transcending 1,541km and 20 Provinces?

Prime Minister: The North-South High-Speed Railway Will Extend to Ca Mau

On the morning of December 15, the Prime Minister met with voters after the 8th session of the 15th National Assembly, with more than 200 voters representing the communes and towns, as well as religious dignitaries in Co Do District, Can Tho City.

Voters expressed their delight at the network of north-south and east-west expressways in the Mekong Delta, with a total length of over 1,000 km currently under construction. They appreciated the Prime Minister’s regular inspections and timely urging of the project.

Voters also made suggestions and proposals regarding the investment and construction of expressways and railways.

In response to the voters’ proposals, the Prime Minister assured: “The North-South high-speed railway will not end in Ho Chi Minh City; it will extend to Can Tho and Ca Mau. In this phase, we are doing this, but we are also researching the section from Ho Chi Minh City to Can Tho.”

“The section from Ho Chi Minh City to Can Tho will be very advantageous because it requires less land clearance, and building it in a straight line will make it both aesthetically pleasing and efficient. Of course, we have to do it; we cannot not do it. Rest assured, fellow citizens, that we will get it done, but our country’s resources are limited, so we must allocate them wisely, learn from our experiences, and expand gradually.”

“Recently, we allocated capital for the section from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi, with an investment of over 67 billion USD. The trains will run at a speed of 350 km/h, allowing passengers to travel from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City in just five hours. Similarly, when we extend the line to Can Tho and eventually to Ca Mau, we will maintain this standard.”

National Assembly Deputy Proposed Extending the North-South High-Speed Railway to Can Tho

On November 13, the National Assembly discussed in groups the proposal to invest in the North-South high-speed railway with a total expected investment of approximately 1,713,548 billion VND (equivalent to 67.34 billion USD)

During the discussion, Deputy Nguyen Thi Hong Hanh from Ho Chi Minh City proposed studying the extension of the high-speed railway to the Mekong Delta provinces, including Can Tho. These provinces lack expressways, and traffic congestion during holidays is severe.

She emphasized that Can Tho is the center of the Mekong Delta and suggested considering extending the high-speed railway to this area, as it would bring many benefits.

Deputy Pham Khanh Phong Lan, also from Ho Chi Minh City, pointed out that most expressways are in the north, while the Mekong Delta is like a forgotten region with very few transportation options. She emphasized the need to carefully consider this issue, as every dong of taxpayer money spent is precious.

Deputy Tran Thi Dieu Thuy agreed with the calculation to extend the high-speed railway to the Mekong Delta provinces and from Hanoi to the northwestern provinces. She emphasized the importance of considering this route as a lifeline for cargo transportation.

“I dream that fruits picked from the gardens in the Mekong Delta in the morning will be sold in Hanoi supermarkets by the afternoon. This will solve the problems of cargo transportation and logistics,” said Deputy Tran Thi Dieu Thuy.