Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính leads a meeting on the two expressway projects on Sunday. — VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang

HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính on Sunday presided over a meeting focused on two critical expressway projects, highlighting the significant role of infrastructure in both socio-economic development and national security.

The first project, the Ninh Bình-Nam Định-Thái Bình Expressway, will span a total length of 88km across the northern region, connecting the coastal provinces of Hải Phòng and Quảng Ninh.

This expressway will be part of the broader expressway system that runs to the east of Hà Nội and leads to border gates in Quảng Ninh, Lào Cai, and Lạng Sơn.

The Gia Nghĩa-Chơn Thành project, which will connect the Central Highlands to the economic centres in the southeast region, will be 128.8km long.

Representatives from different ministries, departments and localities agreed that the projects are crucial to realising the goals of developing a comprehensive transport infrastructure, following the Party’s and Politburo’s resolutions.

A preview map of the transport infrastructure in the southern region, with the proposed Gia Nghĩa-Chơn Thành Expressway included (red dashed line). — VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang

The meeting also discussed options on the scale of the routes, site clearance, traffic flow, preliminary financial plans and attracting investors from the private sector.

Delegates proposed mobilising non-State resources for the projects to be undertaken under the public-private partnership, which will reduce the pressure on the State budget and optimise social resources for transport.

Agreeing with this suggestion, PM Chính believed that the cooperation will be a success with the determination of all stakeholders and a clear implementation process.

He said: “We need thorough discussions and the highest sense of responsibility from each stakeholder to succeed.

“It is necessary to have clear goals, solutions and implementation procedures.”

PM Chính added that the Government will form a working team for the two projects, which will be led by deputy PM Trần Hồng Hà.

Team members are expected to include deputy ministers and chairmen of provincial and municipal people’s committees.

“Reviews at the local level should take place once per week, and at the governmental level once per month.

“Preparation needs to be more active, quality and thorough,” said PM Chính.

He also asked consulting contractors to be held accountable and ensure accurate calculations, and suitable route designing for the common good.

The PM emphasised: “It is a must to ensure the scale of the expressways with four lanes, appropriate investment calculations, law compliance and the credit limits.”

Provinces have been directed to prepare construction material mines, which will be directly assigned to head investors and contractors.

Planning related to land and forests will be processed by the provincial people’s councils. — VNS