A social housing block under construction in the central province of Quảng Trị, December 6, 2025. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — The Ministry of Construction plans to deliver more than 1.6 million social housing units by 2030, as part of a broader push to expand affordable housing and accelerate infrastructure development across Việt Nam.

Nguyễn Trí Đức, chief of the Ministry's Office, said the ministry aims to reach its earlier goal of one million social housing units two years ahead of schedule, citing faster-than-expected progress on projects already underway.

More than 102,600 units were completed in 2025, beating the annual target by about 2 per cent, according to ministry figures.

Projects currently under construction represent roughly 62 per cent of the programme’s overall scale, or 657,000 apartments, suggesting that much of the expansion is already locked in.

Đức also said the ministry is working towards 5,000 kilometres of expressways and lifting seaport capacity up to 1.4 billion tonnes annually by 2030.

The ministry also aims to raise the share of permanent housing nationwide to close to 90 per cent and increase average residential floor space to 30 square metres per person.

Alongside construction targets, the official said the ministry will continue cutting complex administrative procedures to speed up investment and reduce costs for businesses and residents.

It will also work on special pilot mechanisms to shorten approval timelines and give local governments more authority to act as project owners and manage infrastructure once it is built.

In rail transport, the focus is shifting toward greater technological self-reliance.

Đức said Vietnamese firms are expected to gradually take on a larger role in building and operating high-speed and urban rail systems, reducing dependence on foreign contractors.

Initial efforts will concentrate on operations and maintenance, with domestic manufacturing seen as a longer-term goal.

He also highlighted the ministry's plans to develop digital infrastructure, describing it as a core foundation of the digital economy, alongside research into high-performance and recycled construction materials to improve resource efficiency and limit environmental damage.

Over the past year, the ministry completed 53 infrastructure projects, a noticeably faster pace than in recent years.

A section of the Cần Thơ-Cà Mau Expressway running througe Cần Thơ City. — VNA/VNS Photo

By the end of 2025, the expressway network had reached 3,803 kilometres, including interchanges and access roads, while 1,701 kilometres of coastal roads had also been completed.

Several major routes are already open, including long stretches of the North–South Expressway linking the northern province of Cao Bằng to the southern tip of Cà Mau.

Work is continuing on additional links such as the Cà Mau–Cái Nước Expressway and transport routes connecting Đất Mũi with Hòn Khoai Port. — VNS