Specifically, the board suggests that the Ministry consult with the HCMC People's Committee to agree to exclude the Tan Tao-Cho Dem and Binh Thuan-Cho Dem connecting routes, with a total length of approximately 13 km, from the project. The HCMC People's Committee will allocate appropriate funding to invest in these two sections and ensure their completion in coordination with the overall project to maximize investment efficiency.
Additionally, the Project Management Board 7 has requested that the Ministry of Transport coordinate with the People's Committees of Long An and Tien Giang provinces to exclude the local access roads, totaling approximately 67 km, from the project. They have suggested that these two localities carry out these sections as independent projects.
Furthermore, the People's Committee of Tien Giang Province should promptly provide input on ensuring the legal interests of the investor selected for the expressway expansion project and the investor responsible for Phase 1 of the Trung Luong-My Thuan section to prevent disputes, complaints, or complications during the subsequent implementation phases.
Regarding the reimbursement plan for the advance investment from the State budget for the HCMC-Trung Luong Expressway project (Phase 1), the Project Management Board 7 agrees with the proposal put forth by the investors.
Specifically, after the investors complete toll collection for investment recovery and finalize the contract for the construction of the HCMC-Trung Luong-My Thuan Expressway, the project will be transferred to the State. The State will then continue to collect tolls to reimburse the advance funds from the State budget allocated for the HCMC-Trung Luong Expressway project.
According to the investors' proposal, the construction and expansion project of the HCMC-Trung Luong-My Thuan Expressway, which spans 91 km and includes the Cho Dem Interchange, scheduled for implementation between 2024 and 2028, will be funded through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model under a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) contract, without any contribution from the State budget.
The entire route is proposed to be expanded to eight lanes, along with two emergency stopping lanes. If the investment includes rest areas and an intelligent traffic control and management system, the total investment for the construction and expansion of the HCMC - Trung Luong - My Thuan expressway will reach VND33.91 trillion, including interest during the construction period.
Of this amount, equity will comprise VND5.087 trillion, accounting for 15 percent of the total investment. Meanwhile, loans and other legally mobilized funding sources will account for VND28.823 trillion, making up 85 percent of the total investment. The project is expected to have a payback period of 18 years and 3 months.
Regarding the timeline, the project will undergo feasibility study reporting, investment approval, and project approval from now until the third quarter of 2025. Implementation is planned to occur from the first quarter of 2026 to the fourth quarter of 2028.
