Higher determination needed to ensure progress of Long Thanh airport project: PM

ABO/NDO – Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh requested higher determination and stronger performance from relevant ministries, sectors and agencies in the construction of the Long Thanh International Airport while visiting the project site on February 6.

The Long Thanh International Airport in the southern province of Dong Nai will be built in three phases over three decades. In the first phase, one runway with a length of 4,000m, taxiways, an apron, and a passenger terminal with other auxiliary works sprawling 373,000sq.m will be built to serve 25 million passengers and 1.2 million tonnes of cargo each year.

PM Pham Minh Chinh visits the project site. (Photo: Nhat Bac).

The airport, which was expected to cost 336.63 trillion VND (14.5 billion USD), is designed to have four runways, four passenger terminals, and other auxiliary facilities to ensure a capacity of 100 million passengers and 5 million tonnes of cargo a year by 2040.Located 40km to the east of Ho Chi Minh City, the Long Thanh airport is expected to relieve overloading at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in the southern metropolis, now the country’s largest airport.

So far, 85 percent of ground clearance work for the project has been completed.

The first phase of the project started on January 2021 and is scheduled to complete and put into operation in 2025, but the progress is falling behind schedule.

Working with the Project Management Board, PM Chinh stressed that the airport is a key national project, requesting relevant ministries, sectors and agencies to coordinate closely together and work harder to seek specific measures to ensure its progress.

He asked the head of the People’s Committee of Dong Nai to bear the responsibility in speeding up the ground clearance for the project and ensure good quality of resettlement areas.

Along with providing all necessary services for the project, it is crucial to focus on mobilising capital for it and preventing corruption during the implementation.

The PM assigned Deputy PM Le Van Thanh to direct the implementation of the project.

After inspecting the project site, the Government leader visited the resettlement area for locals who have to move for the project’s construction.

(Source: NDO)