PM budgets $310 million for weigh stations

HA NOI (VNS)— The Prime Minister has approved a VND6.5 trillion (US$310 million) project to build 45 vehicle weigh stations on national highways. The project aims to control overloaded vehicles and is funded primarily by the State budget.

Under Decision No1502/QD-TTg, which approves the master plan on vehicle weigh stations from now until 2020, with a vision to 2030, 11 stations will be located along National Highway 1 and four on Ho Chi Minh Highway. The rest will be placed on other important national highways.

Once completed, the stations will serve more than 2,200 vehicles per day.

The project will be implemented in three phases: 2012–15, 2016–20 and 2021–30. The investments for each phase are VND1.1 trillion ($56 million), VND2.4 trillion ($117 million) and VND2.9 trillion ($138 million) respectively.

The stations will be designed with modern equipment to help resolve traffic congestion and protect roads from overloaded vehicles.

Based on the actual traffic situation on the road, the Viet Nam Road General Department and the municipal transport department will determine where and when to build the stations.

What is certain is that there will be none in the inner city, as they could easily lead to traffic congestion.

The PM also called on ministries and relevant agencies as well as provincial authorities to carry out the project effectively.

Nguyen Van Diep, director of southern Dong Nai Province's Transport Department, said weigh stations were necessary to protect the country's roads from overloaded vehicles, which have been blamed for damaging road surfaces.

"However, more research needs to be conducted on the placement and construction of weigh stations," Diep said.

Meanwhile, Bui Xuan Cuong, deputy director of the HCM City Department of Transport, said that he had not yet received an official decision from the Government regarding the project but confirmed that building the stations was necessary. — VNS