Đắk Lắk Province is upgrading transport infrastructure in an effort to improve socio-economic development. Photo: baodautu.vn

ĐẮK LẮK PROVINCE — The Central Highlands Province of Đắk Lắk is working on major transport projects that are expected to spur socio-economic development in the region.

Though the province is located in the key position in the Central Highlands, transport infrastructure has not met the needs of the province and the region.

About 95 per cent of the province's transport is on roads, while air transport only meets 5 per cent of travel demand.

Phạm Văn Xây, chief of staff of the province’s Transport Department, said Highway 26, Highway 14 and an intercity road between Gia Lai and Đắk Lắk provinces have all been built to improve connections between the Central Highlands and the central coastal region.

However, many other transport projects still lack investment or have not started, Xây said.

According to Xây, the state budget allocated to the province to support the upgrade or construction of transport projects meets only 30 per cent of demand.

The provincial People's Committee said it would continue to mobilise capital for traffic infrastructure, especially for projects connecting tourist areas, industrial and agriculture parks.

Expressway, airport projects

Recently, the two provinces of Đắk Lắk and Khánh Hòa signed a proposal to ask the Ministry of Transport to add the Buôn Ma Thuột - Nha Trang expressway to Việt Nam's expressway network.

The expressway is expected to be 100-110km in length, with six lanes, and designed for 100km per hour at speed. The total estimated investment is about VNĐ27 trillion (US$1.1 billion).

Bùi Văn Cường, secretary of Đắk Lắk Province's Party Committee, said the Central Highlands and the province have a lot of potential, but still face difficulties because transport infrastructure has not met the development needs of the region.

According to Cường, the expressway will create favourable conditions for Đắk Lắk and neighbouring provinces to develop tourism and transport goods.

Besides the expressway project, the province also wants to expand Buôn Ma Thuộc airport. The Ministry of Transport has asked the Civil Aviation Administration of Việt Nam to come up with suitable plans for the airport expansion. — VNS