Representatives perform the ground-breaking ceremony for the project. —VNA Photo Huỳnh Sơn

HCM CITY — A series of large-scale transport projects in HCM City and neighbouring localities have begun construction or opened to traffic on the morning of December 19, marking a new milestone in regional infrastructure development.

With a combined investment running into hundreds of trillions of đồng, the projects are expected to strengthen connectivity across the southeastern region and create fresh momentum for economic growth.

In Cần Giờ commune, Vingroup held a groundbreaking ceremony for the Bến Thành–Cần Giờ high-speed railway, the first project of its kind in Việt Nam.

The 54-kilometre line is designed for a maximum speed of 350 kilometres per hour, linking the city centre with the Cần Giờ coastal urban and tourism area built on reclaimed land.

Scheduled to come into operation in the fourth quarter of 2028, the railway is expected to open up new development space for transport, tourism and the marine economy.

Bùi Xuân Cường, Deputy Chairman of the HCM City People’s Committee said the project is of exceptional scale and applies advanced technology, in line with the city’s urban development strategy associated with services and the marine economy.

He urged relevant departments and agencies to mobilise all available resources, expedite investment procedures and streamline administrative processes to support the project’s implementation and ensure it is completed on schedule as committed by the investor.

In the city’s northwestern area, Chairman of the HCM City People’s Committee Nguyễn Văn Được, together with leaders of Tây Ninh Province, pressed the button to begin construction of the HCM City–Mộc Bài Expressway (package XL02), part of the expressway’s second component project.

The expressway is a national key project implemented under the public-private partnership (PPP) model, aimed at easing congestion on National Highway 22 and enhancing connectivity between HCM City, Tây Ninh Province and the Trans-Asia economic corridor.

In eastern HCM City, two component projects of Ring Road 2 officially started construction, with the goal of completing the full ring by 2027. Once finished, the projects are expected to reduce traffic congestion and complete the transport network at the city’s eastern gateway.

Also launched on the same day was the Nguyễn Khoái bridge-and-road project, with a total investment of over VNĐ3.7 trillion (US$140.6 million). The project will form a new transport axis connecting Districts 1, 4 and 7, helping to ease traffic pressure in the city’s southern area.

In the old Bà Rịa–Vũng Tàu Province, construction began on the upgrading and expansion of the Hội Bài–Phước Tân Road (ĐT992).

The route will link the Cái Mép–Thị Vải port system with the Biên Hòa–Vũng Tàu Expressway, Long Thành International Airport and Ring Road 4, playing a key role in logistics development and investment attraction.

Alongside new launches, several transport projects were inaugurated or opened to technical traffic.

Notable among them was the upgrading of the Thùy Vân coastal road in Vũng Tàu, creating a modern seaside park space for residents and visitors.

On Ring Road 3, a nearly 15 kilometre elevated section in Thủ Đức City was opened to technical traffic. Meanwhile, the Bình Khánh Bridge on the Bến Lức–Long Thành Expressway was officially inaugurated after construction was restarted.

The simultaneous implementation and completion of multiple key transport projects highlight the strong efforts of HCM City and surrounding localities to develop infrastructure, strengthen regional connectivity and drive economic growth in the coming period. — VNS