PM asks to accelerate key transport projects

Workers speed up reinforcing tunnel dome No. 2 on the Quảng Ngãi-Hoài Nhơn Expressway. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính signed an official dispatch requesting the acceleration of construction progress on key infrastructure transport projects.

The official dispatch sent to ministers of Transport, Planning and Investment, Finance, Natural Resources and Environment, Agriculture and Rural Development and Construction, chairman of the Committee for Management of State Capital at Enterprises and chairpersons of the People’s committees of provinces and centrally-run cities, stated that developing synchronous and modern infrastructure is one of three strategic breakthroughs, of which transport infrastructure development is an important pillar creating new development space, driving force for socio-economic development and ensuring national defence and security.

The 13th Party Congress set the goal that the country will have about 3,000km of expressways by 2025 and 5,000km by 2030.

The 2021-2025 period has focused maximum resources on developing transportation infrastructure, three times higher than 2016-2020.

Recently, the Ministry of Transport and localities, investors, project management units (PMUs), contractors, engineers and workers have drastically and actively implemented important national transportation projects and works.

In many construction sites, work has continued three shifts daily, even on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, to complete road, highway, airport, railway and maritime projects.

Last year, 20 projects were completed and put into operation, including nine expressway projects with a length of 475km, bringing the total length of expressways to nearly 1,900km.

On behalf of the Government, Chính highly appreciated the efforts of ministries, branches and localities in completing project progress, ensuring quality and labour safety.

To strive to complete the goals of the 13th Party Congress’ Resolution, Chính requested ministries, branches, localities, investors, PMUs, construction and consulting contractors and staff on construction sites to further promote the highest sense of responsibility, promptly overcome all difficulties and obstacles, and strive to speed up the progress of projects, significantly 1,700km of North-South and East-West connecting highways, large bridges, domestic and international airports, railway lines, seaports and inland waterways, as well as start new projects this year.

Minister of Transport and chairpersons of People’s committees were asked to guide relevant units to co-ordinate closely with local authorities to remove difficulties and handle existing problems in site clearance, build resettlement areas ensuring production and re-establishing people’s lives before the Lunar New Year (Tết) Holiday.

At the same time, the relevant units have to remove obstacles related to the exploitation and supply of construction materials and offer support to investors and contractors to speed up construction progress for putting projects into operation on schedule as well as to review synchronous connection with expressways to overcome the consequences of arising problems to promote investment efficiency, land fund exploitation and socio-economic development of regions and the whole country.

The Minister of Transport co-ordinates with the Chairman of the Committee for Management of State Capital at Enterprises and the chairpersons of the People’s Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities to urgently complete investment procedures, especially investor selection to start highway projects in 2024 according to the set plan.

The Ministry of Construction strengthens state construction management, guides and inspects localities in price management and announcement of construction material prices, and reviews and amends inadequacies in construction norms.

The Ministry of Planning and Investment promptly advises the Government on allocating investment capital for transportation projects and works, and closely coordinates with governing agencies to speed up the appraisal process of projects.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment co-operates closely with governing agencies to speed up investment procedures in the transport sector, strengthen State management in licensing construction material exploitation, guide localities and remove obstacles in the supply of mine materials according to specific mechanisms, and continue to expand the scope of the sea sand resource assessment project to serve transportation projects and other construction works.

The Ministry of Finance closely co-ordinates with governing agencies to review and accelerate the settlement of procedures related to official development assistant (ODA) loans and loans from international organisations for transportation projects.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and governing agencies have to speed up procedures related to changing the use purpose of forests, forest land and rice land for construction projects.

Chairpersons of the People’s Committees of provinces and centrally run cities with transport infrastructure projects under construction were asked to accelerate site clearance, relocate technical infrastructure, and construct resettlement areas, ensuring people’s lives and production.

Deputy Prime Minister Trần Hồng Hà was assigned to directly instruct, inspect, urge and handle arising issues within his authority and report any beyond his authority to the Prime Minister.

The Government Office is in charge of monitoring and urging the implementation of this official dispatch and promptly summarises and reports any issues that arise to the Prime Minister. — VNS