Seven more expressways are proposed to enhance connectivity in and socio-economic development of the Mekong Delta. — Illustration Photo www.sggp.org.vn

HCM CITY — The Ministry of Transport proposes building seven more expressways with a total length of 774km in the Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta by 2030.

Their total cost is estimated at more than VNĐ64.5 trillion (US$2.8 billion), of which VNĐ37.3 trillion ($1.6 billion) will be spent in 2021-25.

The ministry is drafting a plan to allocate funds in 2021-25 for proposed and unfinished expressway projects in the region.

The Việt Nam expressway development plan for the period until 2020 envisages building five expressways with a total length of 998km, of which 349km were to be completed this year, including the eastern and western sections of the North-South Expressway, Cần Thơ - Cà Mau Expressway, Châu Đốc - Cần Thơ - Sóc Trăng Expressway, and Hà Tiên - Rạch Giá - Bạc Liêu Expressway.

But their construction has been slower than expected, affecting the region’s socio-economic development.

National Highway No 1A is an arterial road through the delta but it is often overloaded.

To share its burden, the 51km Lộ Tẻ - Rạch Sỏi Expressway between Cần Thơ City and Kiên Giang Province opened to traffic in October and is expected to become full-fledged by the end of this year.

Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc has instructed the ministry and other agencies to speed up construction of the Trung Lương - Mỹ Thuận and Mỹ Thuận - Cần Thơ expressways and Mỹ Thuận 2 Bridge.

The Tây Ninh People’s Committee wants the Government to add the Gò Dầu - Tây Ninh City - Xa Mát Expressway to the national expressway development plan for until 2020.

The 65km, four-lane road will start from the proposed HCM City – Mộc Bài Expressway in Tây Ninh’s Gò Dầu District and run until the Xa Mát International Border Gate in Tân Biên District parallel to National Highway No 22B.

Tây Ninh has a 240km border with Cambodia, with three international border gates, four main border gates and 10 sub-border gates.

National Highway No 22B is currently the only route for transporting goods between HCM City and Cambodia through Tây Ninh.

It is unable to meet the burgeoning demand for transport, and so the proposed expressway is expected to help improve connectivity between the province, HCM City and Cambodia, fostering border trade. — VNS