Train on Hải Vân Pass. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam Railway Corporation (VNR) has requested that the Ministry of Transport urgently invest VNĐ1.33 trillion (US$53.5 million) to upgrade the railway in the Hải Vân Pass area due to the impact of typhoon Sonca in October.

According to VNR, the railway infrastructure on the Hải Vân Pass area has deteriorated due to lack of investment and frequent annual rains, causing landslides and a high risk to train operation safety.

Earlier this month, a team of the Ministry of Transport, Việt Nam Railway Administration and VNR inspected the scene and assessed the current status of the railway infrastructure and damages in the Hải Vân Pass area.

The inspection results showed that on the railway section through the pass, there were about 20 points of landslides that damaged railway infrastructure and continued to pose a potential risk of unsafe operation if not repaired soon.

In order to ensure train safety and improve operational efficiency, VNR suggested the Ministry of Transport ask the Prime Minister to consider allocating about VNĐ1.33 trillion ($53.5 million) from the State Budget for repair works.

The repair works would include reinforcement of talus roofs of sections with potential risk of landslides (20 positions), and upgrading railways and stations of a total length of 16.31km, 15 bridges with total length of 358m, and three tunnels of 1.6km.

In the initial period, VNR will propose the Ministry of Transport report to the Government and the Ministry of Finance to balance capital from the State budget to prioritise investment in a number of key locations with high risk of danger, such as reinforcing talus roofs, repairing and upgrading damaged bridges, culverts and drainage systems to ensure safe operation with a budget of about VNĐ600 billion ($24.1 million).

The work will be carried out by the corporation in 2023 and 2024. — VNS