HCM City – The Ministry of Transport is dusting off three feasibility studies it received three years ago for a high-speed north - south rail following the Government’s approval of a railway development strategy last year.

The Việt Nam – Japan Consultancy Joint Venture, Korean International Co-operation Agency and Japan International Co-operation Agency submitted the reports in 2013, but have now been asked to update them.

Lê Kim Thành, general director of the north-south high-speed project, told Đầu tư (Việt Nam Investment Review), “All of them are out-of-date and need to be updated, especially with respect to total investment, technology and speeds.”

The reports studied the feasibility of building the over-2,000km route with the standard international 1,435mm gauge after factoring in the high demand in sectors like Hà Nội - Vinh and HCM City - Nha Trang.

Between 2020 and 2030 tracks will be laid for trains travelling at 160-200 km/h in the first phase and later at 350km/h.

The project management board wants the Ministry of Transport to ask JICA to focus on certain issues that domestic planners have not addressed yet: like estimating demand for rail transport, cost and socio-economic efficiency.

After the three feasibility studies are updated, the project management board will submit them again to the Ministry of Transport to choose a consultant before December.

By September 2017 the consultant will provide estimated demand figures and recommend technology, basic technical criteria, business plan, stages of investment and major construction requirements.

After that the consultant will organise workshops and publicise the project through media to apprise the public and related authorities, ministries and organisations about four main aspects: designed and practical speed, business plan, investment stages, and capital mobilisation plan.

After publicly announcing and receiving feedback, the feasibility study will be finished by the end of 2017.

The project will be submitted to the Government by September 2018 and to the National Assessment Committee and the National Assembly by April 2019. — VNS