Minister of Agriculture and Environment Trần Đức Thắng and officials from Lai Châu Province attend the groundbreaking ceremony for Hoàng Liên Pass road tunnel project on Friday. — VNA/VNS Photo Quý Trung

LAI CHÂU — Lai Châu Province on Friday began construction of major projects including a road tunnel, a tourism complex and social housing, opening up new opportunities for economic growth, tourism and sustainable infrastructure development in the region.

The northern province was among many other localities across the country that held ground-breaking, inauguration and technical opening ceremonies for infrastructure project as part of the nationwide emulation movement leading to the 14th National Party Congress.

Speaking at the ground-breaking ceremony for the Hoàng Liên Pass road tunnel, Minister of Agriculture and Environment Trần Đức Thắng stressed that investment in this project demonstrates the strategic vision of the Party, the State and the Government in developing a comprehensive and modern transport infrastructure system.

The tunnel will lay the groundwork for regional connectivity, expand space for socio-economic development and help ensure national defence and security in the border area.

At the same time, it is expected to create new momentum for tourism, trade and services, strengthening links between the major tourism destination of Sa Pa and the many high-potential tourism sites of Lai Châu Province. It will also facilitate investment attraction, improve local livelihoods, and gradually realise the goal of rapid and sustainable development for the region.

The Hoàng Liên Pass road tunnel project is classified in the Group A (large-scale project with high socio-economic impact) – a special-grade transport tunnel with high technical requirements, spanning between Lai Châu and Lào Cai provinces.

Total investment is estimated at VNĐ3.3 trillion (US$125.4 million), with funding from the central budget, the provincial budget and other sources, covering construction, equipment installation, site clearance and compensation. The project is scheduled to be completed by 2027.

Once completed and put into operation, the tunnel will help ease traffic flows on dangerous mountain passes along National Highway 4D, shorten travel time, and ensure year-round traffic connectivity between Sa Pa (Lào Cai) and Bình Lư (Lai Châu).

It will also open up a convenient transport corridor linking Lai Châu with major growth poles such as Hà Nội, Hải Phòng and Quảng Ninh, while strengthening tourism linkages between Sa Pa and the wider northwestern region.

The project is also expected to boost logistics development and cross-border trade through the international border gate Ma Lù Thàng–Jinshuihe between Việt Nam and China, attract domestic and international tourists, and contribute to national defence and security while safeguarding sovereignty.

Social housing development

On Friday, Lai Châu Province also held a ground-breaking ceremony for the Đoàn Kết social housing project, invested by Lan Hưng Real Estate Group JSC.

Total estimated investment exceeds VNĐ905 billion ($34.4 million), including VNĐ220 billion in investor capital and more than VNĐ685 billion in other lawful mobilised loans.

The project will be developed on an area of approximately 31,000sq.m, featuring comprehensive technical infrastructure, both social and commercial housing, and supporting facilities.

Specifically, three social housing apartment blocks of 15-20 storeys high will be built, providing around 960 apartments. Commercial housing will be developed on 20 per cent of the project’s residential land, with an estimated 40 units.

In addition to power and water supply systems, fire prevention and firefighting facilities, landscaped green spaces, and parking areas, the project plan also includes a two-storey kindergarten on an area of about 370sq.m.

Around 880sq.m of land will be reserved for resettlement of households affected by the project.

Scheduled for implementation from 2025 to 2028, the project, once completed, will provide housing for around 3,000 people.

Tourism and resort complex

At the ground-breaking ceremony for the Vườn địa đàng Sơn Bình (Sơn Bình Paradise) tourism and resort complex, Lai Châu People’s Committee chairman Hà Quang Trung noted that the project is a vivid example of translating the Party’s major policies into practice, particularly in mobilising private resources while linking economic development with environmental protection, preservation of cultural identity, and improvement of people’s living standards.

The project is expected to create new development momentum for Bình Lư Commune in particular and Lai Châu Province as a whole. It also plays an important role in job creation, income growth for local residents, increased budget revenues, and economic restructuring towards a service- and tourism-oriented model, gradually positioning Lai Châu as an attractive destination on the national and international tourism map.

Notably, the project has been planned and invested in line with a sustainable development approach, with a focus on ecological environmental protection, preservation of natural landscapes, and respect for and promotion of the traditional cultural values of ethnic groups, in line with the province’s long-term development strategy.

With the Northern Cement Trading JSC as the head investor, the project covers an area of more than 106ha, with total registered investment capital of around VNĐ6 trillion ($228 million) – VNĐ600 billion in investor equity and VNĐ5.4 trillion in loans from credit institutions.

Phase 1 of the project is scheduled for completion and operation in Q4 2029. Phase 2 is expected to break ground in Q2 2030 and become operational in Q4 2034. — VNS