Total investment for a road connecting Yên Bái and the Nội Bài-Lào Cai Expressway is estimated at more than US$235.3 million. — VNA/VNS Photo

LAI CHÂU — Two new roads will be built connecting the northern mountainous region with Hà Nội, Ministry of Transport said on Thursday.

The two roads were part of the Transport Connection in the Northern Region project invested by the transport ministry, deputy director of the ministry's Project Management Unit 2 Lê Thắng said at a workshop held in the northern mountainous province of Lai Châu.

The first road will be expanded to connect Lai Châu with the Nội Bài-Lào Cai Expressway. The total length of the road will stretch 147km, with 132.8km upgraded and additional 14km built.

The other road will be an entirely new route starting from the Nội Bài-Lào Cai Expressway and running 51km to Liên Sơn Township in Yên Bái Province.

Total investment for the road is estimated at more than US$235.3 million.

The road was still being designed, Thắng said. All design work should be completed and construction should start later this year, he added.

Nearly 800sq.m of both public and non-public land across Lai Châu, Lào Cai and Yên Bái provinces would be taken up by the new roads. The ministry expected that construction would affect 957 households, of which six would have to relocate while 115 would have to relinquish parts or all of their agricultural land.

Lai Châu People’s Committee Chairman Trần Tiến Dũng said the project would play a vital role in promoting the socio-economic development of Lai Châu, as well as other provinces in the mountainous region.

“Investment in new roads will shorten travel times, cut transportation costs and increase competitiveness, while expanding trade and helping to eliminate poverty,” he said. — VNS