HÀ NỘI — The Hà Nội People’s Committee has proposed the construction of Mễ Sở Bridge, which will connect the city’s Thường Tín District with neighbouring Hưng Yên Province.

According to the committee’s report, presented to the ministries of Transport, and Planning and Investment, the bridge is expected to cost over VNĐ4.8 trillion (over US$213 million) and will be built under a build-operate-transfer (BOT) contract.

This was done, following a proposal of Phương Thành Investment and Transport Construction Joint Stock Company and Nguyên Minh Investment and Infrastructure Development Joint Stock Company.

The Mễ Sở Bridge over the Hồng (Red) River and two bridge approaches span a total length of 13.8km and 17m wide, running from an interchange with National Highway 1 to an intersection with the Hà Nội-Hải Phòng Expressway in Văn Giang District of Hưng Yên Province.

The bridge and approaches will form part of Hà Nội’s Ring Road No 4.

The time of payback is expected to be about 22 years and 11 months.

The project is aimed at strengthening the connectivity between the two expressways of Pháp Vân-Cầu Giẽ and Hà Nội-Hải Phòng, to reduce traffic towards the capital city’s inner area and boost the economic development of Hà Nội, Hưng Yên and neighbouring provinces.

In 2015, the authorities of Hà Nội City and Hưng Yên Province agreed with the Ministry of Transport over reporting the project to the Prime Minister in order to seek investment approval, under which the transport ministry will be responsible for implementing the project.

But since then, no progress has been made on the project.

At a meeting last month, the ministry agreed that the Hà Nội municipal government will take charge of the Mễ Sở Bridge project. — VNS