Deputy PM Hai urges acceleration of major transport projects

Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai has urged the Ministry of Transport to work closely with local authorities to speed up site clearance, as it is a key measure to boost the progress of major transport projects.

The Government official said on February 28 that in addition to site clearance, key transport projects are facing other hurdles such as ill preparation, low construction quality and lack of funding.

Deputy PM Hai said appropriate measures are needed to attract social investment as the Government has allowed the private sector to operate facilities at sea ports and airports.

According to a report by the Ministry of Transport, six major projects commenced construction in 2014, including the Nhon-Hanoi Station Metro Line, the Ben Luc-Long Thanh Expressway and Ho Chi Minh City’s second metro line.

Last year also saw the completion of seven major projects, most notably the Noi Bai-Lao Cai Expressway, Nhat Tan Bridge, Noi Bai Airport’s T2 Terminal and the HCMC-Long Thanh-Dau Giay Expressway.

Minister of Transport Dinh La Thang said the progress of most projects are on schedule with the exception of urban transport projects where site clearance is still a main obstacle.

On a positive note, in 2014 the Ministry of Transport mobilised more than VND39 trillion (US$1.8 billion) into 19 projects under the build-operate-transfer model, exceeding the target by 22%, added Thang.

(Source: nhandan.org.vn)