Part of Hồ Chí Minh Road connecting Kon Tum City and Pleiku City in the Central Highlands province of Gia Lai. — VNS/VNS Photo Huy Hùng

CÀ MAU — The Ministry of Transport emphasised that the transportation infrastructure of the southernmost province of Cà Mau still had numerous limitations and required balanced funding for investment and upgrading to enhance regional connectivity for the Mekong Delta’s sustainable development.

The ministry has recently issued a document addressing a series of proposals related to the transportation infrastructure investment in Cà Mau Province.

Regarding the extension of the expressway route to Cà Mau Cape connecting the northern border areas to the southernmost point of the country, the ministry assessed that during the formulation of the national road planning for the period 2021-2030 with a vision to 2050, the transportation demand along the corridor from Cà Mau City to Đất Mũi Commune has not been high enough to warrant large-scale transportation infrastructure planning. The ministry primarily planned road and inland waterway routes of appropriate scales to meet the socio-economic development needs of the region.

In accordance with The National Assembly's Resolution No. 81/2023/QH15 issued on January 9, 2023, on the overall national plan, the ministry has tasked the Vietnam Road Administration to review and adjust the road network plan.

Based on survey results and proposal reports, the ministry would consider the adjustment of the planning to extend the North-South Expressway route to Cà Mau Cape.

In reply to the implementation of the project of upgrading the National Highway No1 and the Hồ Chí Minh Road segment from Cà Mau City to Cà Mau Cape, and the project of upgrading the National Highway No 1 segment from Bạc Liêu to Cà Mau, the ministry said it has entrusted the Project Management Unit for the Hồ Chí Minh Road to prepare reports for feasibility studies for the upgrading of the segment from Cà Mau City to Năm Căn District, and the segment from Năm Căn District to Đất Mũi Commune.

Furthermore, the ministry has also assigned Project Management Unit 7 to update feasibility study reports for the National Highway No1 segment from Bạc Liêu to Cà Mau.

Currently, these projects were not included in the midterm public investment project list for the 2021-2025 period approved by the National Assembly through Resolution No. 29/2021/QH15 issued on July 28, 2021.

The ministry said it would report to competent authorities to arrange appropriate funding sources in the 2021-2025 midterm public investment plan or in the subsequent midterm period.

Regarding the investment in upgrading and expanding the National Highway 63 from Cà Mau to Kiên Giang, the ministry affirmed that the project has been approved since 2010 but been suspended due to limited budget resources.

The segment of National Highway 63, which connected Cà Mau and Kiên Giang, was approximately 39km long with 2-4 lanes.

In 2021, based on the allocated project investment funds in the midterm public investment plan for the period 2021-2025, the ministry approved the investment of 2.5km segment within Cà Mau City. The Cà Mau Province’s Department of Transport, the project’s investor, successfully completed the project and put it into operation.

For the remaining segment, the ministry would divide into separate projects and submit to the authorities for approval when funding was available.

In the document, the ministry said it has approved a maintenance plan for the aviation infrastructure at Cà Mau Airport.

The ministry has requested urgent coordination between the Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV), the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV), and relevant agencies and units to carry out the plan to upgrade the runway and taxiway at the airport in 2023.

Regarding the investment for upgrading Cà Mau Airport to accommodate the operation of Airbus A320 and A321 aircraft by 2030, the ministry said Cà Mau Airport would be planned to upgrade to class 4C.

After the plan gets approved, ACV would be responsible for the development and expansion plan for Cà Mau Airport. The ministry would collaborate with the State Capital Management Committee in Enterprises to guide ACV in formulating and executing the investment and expansion plan for Cà Mau Airport.

In case ACV was unable to allocate funding for the investment, the ministry would work with Cà Mau Province to mobilise private capital, it said.

Cà Mau Airport is currently accommodating ATR 72 airplanes with a maximum capacity of 78 passengers. After being upgraded to class 4C, it will be able to accommodate the A320 and A321 aircraft with maximum capacity of up to 180-220 travellers. — VNS