Minister of Transport Nguyen Van The speaks at the NA's session (Photo: SGGP)
On the afternoon of June 10, the National Assembly deputies continued to discuss in the hall the investment policy of Chau Doc - Can Tho - Soc Trang expressway in the first phase, Khanh Hoa - Buon Ma Thuot in the first phase and the Bien Hoa - Vung Tau in the first phase.
According to the Ministry of Transport’s estimate, by the middle of 2023 or the fourth quarter of 2023, construction of these projects will start. The Bien Hoa - Vung Tau Expressway Project is 53.7km long across two provinces, connecting Bien Hoa City in the Southern Province of Dong Nai with Cai Mep - Thi Vai seaport in the Southern Province of Ba Ria – Vung Tau. The Khanh Hoa - Buon Ma Thuot Expressway Project with a length of 117.5km across two provinces connects Buon Ma Thuot City in the Central Highlands Province of Dak Lak with Nam Van Phong seaport in the South-Central Province of Khanh Hoa. The Chau Doc - Can Tho - Soc Trang expressway project with a length of 188.2km through four provinces connects Chau Doc City in the Mekong Delta Province of An Giang with Tran De seaport in the Mekong Delta Province of Soc Trang.
The Government proposed carrying out the projects in the form of public investment. After these projects are put into operation, fees will be collected to refund the state budget capital. The preliminary total investment in projects is about VND84,463 billion (US$ 3,6 billion).
The initial budget for these projects from 2021 to 2025 is expected to be about VND 60,124 billion and it needs about VND 24,339 billion in the period 2026 - 2030. Between 2021 and 2025, governments in these projects will spend VND 8,358 billion from the local budget.
Discussing this content, most deputies agreed with the investment in three projects, which will promote socio-economic development of the areas where the expressway passes, helping to strengthen ensuring national defense and security, especially in the Mekong Delta and Central Highlands, where transport infrastructure is still limited.
Deputies advocated separating the site clearance and resettlement into independent projects in the investment decision. A steering committee for the three projects should be established to have a general mechanism on the compensation price for site clearance, and at the same time hand over the site clearance milestone to the locality for implementation.
Deputy Van Thi Bach Tuyet at the conference (Photo: SGGP)
Deputy Van Thi Bach Tuyet from Ho Chi Minh City agreed with the proposal of the Government and the Economic Committee on using public investment capital for the three projects in the medium-term public investment capital for the 2021-2025 period and capital source allocated for the economic recovery program.
Additionally, deputies recommended the Government and localities pay attention to compensation, support, and resettlement policies for households affected by the projects, ensuring people's lives have equal or better life after land acquisition. The government needs a solution to ensure the progress of the project and the quality of the works after completion.
Explaining more about these expressway projects, Minister of Transport Nguyen Van The affirmed that these are all urgent projects that can’t be delayed any longer. Regarding the capital source for implementing these projects, the Minister of Transport said that for the Bien Hoa - Vung Tau expressway, the Ministry of Transport has coordinated with Dong Nai and Binh Duong provinces to organize some conferences to call for investment but failed in the past 10 years. Therefore, till now, it is reasonable to use the state budget, because if it is delayed further, Ho Chi Minh City and Dong Nai Province will not be able to develop.
Regarding the disbursement progress, after the National Assembly approves, the Government will issue a resolution to conduct both site clearance and project planning at the same time. The Ministry of Transport estimates that by the middle of 2023 or the fourth quarter of 2023, the construction of these projects can start. Investors will be given a partial advance to deploy in accordance with the law.
Regarding the specific mechanism for the implementation of these projects, Minister Nguyen Van The considers it very necessary and is proposing to apply both the National Assembly’s Resolution 43 on the economic recovery program and a number of specific mechanisms to help local administration implement effectively.
Concluding the discussion session, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Nguyen Duc Hai stated that the majority of deputies agreed with the necessity of investing in the first phase of expressways Chau Doc - Can Tho - Soc Trang route, Khanh Hoa - Buon Ma Thuot, Bien Hoa - Vung Tau in order to concretize the 10-year socio-economic development strategy for 2021-2030 approved by the thirteen Party Congress.
At the same time, the investment in these highways will promote the socio-economic development of the areas through which the expressway passes, helping to enhance the assurance of national defense and security.
The three key projects play a vital role in meeting the increasing transport demand and solving bottlenecks in traffic infrastructure in the southern key economic region as well as promoting the potential of the Central Highlands, the Mekong Delta region.
Moreover, they help improve the national competitiveness in general and the Central Highlands, South Central Coast, Southeast, and Mekong Delta regions in particular.
The National Assembly Vice Chairman stated that the Standing Committee of the National Assembly will direct the Economic Committee and relevant agencies to study and listen to opinions to finalize the draft Resolution approving the investment policy of the first phase of expressway construction projects to submit to the National Assembly for consideration and approval.
