On the evening of February 2 (the 5th day of the Lunar New Year), Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh inspected the Chi Lang - Huu Nghi (Lang Son) and Dong Dang - Tra Linh (Cao Bang) expressway projects, and chaired a meeting to remove difficulties and promote implementation progress.
Also participating in the delegation were Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha, Minister of Transport Tran Hong Minh, Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung and leaders of ministries, branches and localities.
During the day, the Prime Minister visited four construction sites, encouraged and gave Tet gifts to officials and workers.
The Dong Dang - Tra Linh Expressway project has a total length of 121 km, divided into two phases with a total investment of more than VND 23,000 billion. In phase 1, the project invested more than 93 km, with a total investment of VND 14,114 billion, of which the state budget capital accounted for 69.43%.
The project is expected to be completed in 2026, striving to open to traffic in 2025. Currently, site clearance work has reached 99.8%, construction has reached 13.52% of the total contract volume.
The Chi Lang - Huu Nghi Expressway project is 59.87 km long, with a total investment of VND11,029 billion in the phased phase, expected to be completed in 2026 and open to traffic in 2025.
To date, the locality has handed over 79% of the land and is currently constructing the resettlement area. However, the project is behind schedule due to difficulties in capital mobilization.
At the meeting, delegates focused on discussing and resolving difficulties and obstacles related to site clearance, relocation of technical works and proposals and recommendations related to capital allocation and the proportion of state budget capital participating in PPP projects.
The Prime Minister emphasized the strategic role of the two expressways in the socio-economic development, defense and security of the region.
At the same time, the relevant parties are required to focus on speeding up progress, applying modern technology, working through holidays and Tet, ensuring progress and quality of the project.
In addition, the Prime Minister agreed in principle to immediately implement phase 2 of the Dong Dang - Tra Linh project (expanding the existing 93.35 km route to 4 full lanes and building a new 27.71 km route connecting Tra Linh border gate); at the same time, deploying sections to connect this highway with Cao Bang city (17 km long) and to Ta Lung border gate (13 km).
The Prime Minister also agreed with Lang Son province's proposal to build a section connecting the Huu Nghi - Chi Lang expressway to Tan Thanh border gate and upgrade the road connecting Lang Son with Thai Nguyen.
The head of the Government also directed ministries and branches to study appropriate financial plans for PPP projects, ensuring the harmony of interests between the State, enterprises and people. Difficulties in capital and site clearance need to be resolved completely in February.
The Prime Minister requested investors and contractors to continue to make efforts, try hard, and surpass themselves to accelerate and make breakthroughs; increase human resources and machinery, and construct "3 shifts, 4 teams", "overcome the sun, overcome the rain, and not lose to storms", "only discuss work, not discuss retreat", work through holidays and Tet to soon complete the North-South expressway.
