Deputy Prime Minister Trần Hồng Hà chairs a meeting to discuss investment and construction of the Lào Cai - Hà Nội - Hải Phòng railway project in Hà Nội on February 26. VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI – The Lào Cai - Hà Nội - Hải Phòng railway line project has a tight deadline for implementation, requiring simultaneous execution of multiple stages, including surveying, technical design, land clearance and construction, while ensuring strict compliance with scientific, procedural and regulatory requirements, said Deputy Prime Minister Trần Hồng Hà at a meeting with the Ministry of Transport (MoT) and other officials in Hà Nội yesterday.

Ministries, agencies, localities and enterprises must clearly define which tasks can be carried out in parallel and which steps must strictly follow set procedures, deputy PM Hà said at the meeting, which included MoT representatives along with other relevant ministries, agencies and nine provinces and cities.

Authorities at the meeting discussed the implementation of National Assembly Resolution 187/2025/QH15 regarding the investment policy for the Lào Cai - Hà Nội - Hải Phòng railway project.

“The implementation process of this railway line will serve as a valuable experience for other critical railway infrastructure projects in Việt Nam, such as the North-South high-speed railway and urban railways in Hà Nội and HCM City,” Hà told the meeting.

Tight progress milestones

According to Resolution 187, the railway project has a total investment of VNĐ203.2 trillion (around US$8 billion) and is expected to be completed no later than 2030.

The project starts at the border rail connection point in northern Lào Cai Province and ends at Lạch Huyện Station in Hải Phòng City. It covers a length of nearly 39km and includes an additional 27.9km of branch lines. It passes through nine provinces and cities: Lào Cai, Yên Bái, Phú Thọ, Vĩnh Phúc, Hà Nội, Bắc Ninh, Hưng Yên, Hải Dương, and Hải Phòng. 

The new railway will be a single-track line with a 1.4m-gauge, catering to both passenger and freight transport.

Trains on the new line are expected to run at 160km per hour on the main line from Lào Cai to Nam Hải Phòng Station, 120kmph for sections within Hà Nội’s central hub and 80kmph for the remaining segments.

The project's estimated land requirement is approximately 2,632ha, and around 19,136 people will need to be relocated. 

In the meeting, Deputy Minister of Transport Nguyễn Danh Huy stated that the plan for Resolution 187 aims to clearly define the responsibilities of ministries, agencies and local authorities.

It will serve as a foundation for the Government, the Prime Minister and relevant entities to direct, execute and ensure legal compliance, progress, quality, cost-effectiveness, transparency and anti-corruption measures.

The plan includes three major task groups: drafting and issuing legal documents to implement specific mechanisms and policies; assigning tasks to ministries, agencies, and localities with specific deadlines, including tasks like selecting consultants for feasibility studies, negotiating and signing framework agreements, approving designs, selecting contractors, land clearance, and construction; and developing urban, industrial, and logistics services around railway stations. 

To date, the MoT has proposed drafting legal documents, including decrees and Prime Ministerial decisions on technical design standards, financial regulations, land use conversion policies, investor selection criteria, railway technology development and the procurement of railway industrial goods.

Authorities proposed additional measures related to mineral resource exploitation for the project, as well as anti-corruption mechanisms, project approval procedures differing from existing planning documents, land development around railway stations and strategies for developing the railway industry and technology mastery.

Meanwhile, leaders of Hà Nội, Lào Cai, Yên Bái, Vĩnh Phúc, Bắc Ninh and Hải Dương requested an early handover of route alignment and land clearance boundaries, clarification of procedures for resettlement and land acquisition, the inclusion of additional railway stations, connections to dry ports and industrial zones, and updates to urban planning indicators for developing new urban, industrial and logistics areas near railway stations.

Proactive policies

The Deputy PM stressed the importance of ensuring that the Lào Cai - Hà Nội - Hải Phòng railway project is implemented with urgency, scientific precision, strict progress tracking and high-quality construction.

The MoT was instructed to incorporate feedback from the meeting and quickly finalise a draft Government Resolution outlining the implementation of National Assembly decisions on major railway investment projects, including the Lào Cai - Hà Nội - Hải Phòng railway, the North-South high-speed railway and urban railways in Hà Nội and HCM City.

The transport ministry must also collaborate with relevant agencies to draft specific decrees on special mechanisms and policies for these projects, ensuring clear responsibilities and deadlines.

Hà directed the MoT to develop technical criteria, technology standards, and common design specifications for the railway system quickly. These will form the basis for funding plans, including ODA, bonds, social capital mobilisation, and contractor selection, and ensure the project meets its progress targets.  

The MoT was also tasked with assessing proposals for additional railway stations and branch lines to optimise economic benefits for the provinces involved.

Meanwhile, localities were urged to work closely with MoT to quickly and accurately determine land clearance boundaries, allocate funding for resettlement projects and adjust urban and industrial development plans near railway stations.

The Deputy PM also provided guidance on research and development for railway technology, workforce training and establishing an integrated railway industry complex involving metallurgy, mechanical engineering and signalling technology enterprises.

He also called for restructuring the Việt Nam Railway Corporation to improve the management of freight and passenger transport, as well as railway operation and maintenance. VNS