A train in Ninh Phước District, Ninh Thuận Province. —VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc asked the Ministry of Transport to propose a feasible plan for the North-South high-speed railway, considering this the backbone of the national strategy on railway development by 2050.

The high-speed line, inter-provincial, inter-regional and urban railway networks must also be added to the strategy, he said.

He was speaking at a Government meeting on Wednesday on the development strategy for Việt Nam’s railway towards 2050.

PM Phúc highlighted the need to upgrade and expand railway networks in Việt Nam while ordering careful preparations for investment and collecting feedbacks of scientists and people on the projects.

“It is necessary to develop Việt Nam’s railway system because the networks have been outdated and need upgrading or build new ones to develop the country,” he told the meeting.

He cited the Lào Cai-Hà Nội-Hải Phòng Railway as one that needs upgrading, adding that urban railway systems must continue to be constructed as planned including those in Hà Nội, HCM City, railway lines connecting the Central Highlands and central region and HCM City and the southwest region.

There is still a lot of space to expand the railway system. A country with a coastline stretching more than 3,000km must develop the railway system, he said, highlighting the importance of building the North-South high-speed railway.

According to the Ministry of Transport, the railway is one of the socio-economic infrastructure sectors that need to be prioritised for rapid development. By 2030, the ministry will continue to upgrade existing railway lines, giving priority to the North-South route, and accelerate construction progress of metro projects in Hà Nội and HCM City.

The ministry will conduct research and develop new routes connecting seaports, industrial parks and study a high-speed railway line connecting the northern and southern parts of the country, aiming to complete the high-speed train by 2050.

PM Phúc urged ministries and sectors to have new thinking in selecting technology to develop railway in Việt Nam, propose investment plans to make a comparison before making decisions and seek different investment sources to develop important infrastructure projects.

Railway projects can be invested by State budget or under the public-private partnership model, he said, asking sectors to make careful preparations for land.

He requested the Ministry of Transport take the lead in building the railway network strategy.

The ministry should propose solutions to develop Việt Nam's railway networks, especially new technologies and capital mobilisation plans, he said. — VNS