The National Assembly's Economic Committee has just issued a preliminary report on the investment policy of the North-South high-speed railway project.
According to the report, the development of traffic along the North-South axis helps effectively connect seaports, airports, international border gates, major trading hubs, urban areas, economic centers, growth poles and economic corridors of the region and the world.
Regarding the scope, scale of investment and route direction, according to the Economic Committee, the Government proposed the scope of investment for the Project with the starting point in Hanoi (Ngoc Hoi station); the ending point in Ho Chi Minh City (Thu Thiem station).
Double-track railway, 1,435 mm gauge, electrified, design speed 350 km/h, load capacity 22.5 tons/axle; main line length about 1,541 km.
The Economic Committee proposed to clarify the plan to connect the high-speed railway line with the national railway network, urban railway and other transport systems; and to connect with regional and international railway networks.
There are suggestions to supplement and explain the comparison options as a basis for selecting the route according to the Government's proposal, and at the same time clarify the route according to the principle of "as straight as possible", especially the section passing through Nam Dinh province, to ensure the effectiveness of the Project.
There are also suggestions to consider increasing the investment rate for the length of the bridge structure of the Project to ensure safety in operation and limit impacts on the environment and ecosystem.
Regarding the choice of investment options, according to the Pre-Feasibility Study Report, based on the analysis of 3 project development options, the Government proposed option 1: “Constructing a new double-track railway line, 1,435 mm gauge, design speed of 350 km/h, load capacity of 22.5 tons/axle for passenger transport, meeting dual-use requirements for national defense and security, and being able to transport goods when necessary; the existing North-South railway transports goods and short-distance tourists”.
Some people say that there is currently no railway line in the world designed with a speed of 350 km/h, operating with freight trains, so it is necessary to assess the feasibility and risk level of this option.
Regarding financial efficiency, the report suggested clarifying the basis for calculating the forecast of the Project's transportation demand, when in fact, in the past, the forecast of transportation demand of many BOT transport projects had a large difference compared to reality, leading to ineffective financial plans requiring contract adjustments.
The State Appraisal Council’s report stated that the revenue forecast and revenue growth are high and pose many risks. Therefore, it is recommended to conduct a thorough review to properly assess the actual financial performance of the Project and the possibility that the state budget will have to compensate for future losses in the transportation business on the high-speed railway.
The Standing Committee of the Economic Committee believes that the Project’s operation with advantages in terms of time, ticket price and other advantages will greatly affect the efficiency of short-haul flights (such as Hanoi - Vinh, Ho Chi Minh - Nha Trang...) in the future. However, the Pre-Feasibility Study Report has not clarified this content.
There are suggestions to clarify the feasibility and effectiveness of calculating ticket prices at 60 - 70% of the average ticket prices of airlines operating on the same route.
And clarify how to calculate the full-trip fare (many passengers do not travel the entire route), compare it with similar high-speed railway lines in countries around the world.
