The civilian-military Phan Thiết airport is expected to see construction begin in March after years of delay. — Photo baobinhthuan.com.vn

BÌNH THUẬN — Construction of the civilian-military Phan Thiết airport is expected to resume at the end of this month and be completed by next year, Deputy Defence Minister Senior Lieutenant General Trần Đơn said at a recent meeting between his ministry and the Bình Thuận Province People’s Committee.

The 545.5ha airport is expected to cost over VNĐ11.8 trillion (US$513.8 million).

The civilian component of the airport will be built by Rạng Đông JSC under the BOT (build-operate-transfer) model at a cost of VNĐ3.83 trillion.

The military component will be built by the ministry’s Air Defence – Air Force Service.

The work first began in 2015 and was slated to be finished in 2018, but due to plan adjustments and other reasons related to the military component, it was delayed.

Đơn said funding had been a big issue and delayed the work, but now the Government has decided to fund the military components.

The military component’s pre-feasibility study has been sent to it for approval, and construction is expected to start again within March.

Rạng Đông JSC has been instructed to finalise adjustments to its pre-feasibility study and submit it so that work on the civilian component can begin simultaneously.

All the land required has been acquired except from three households with around 3.7 hectares, who find the compensation not reasonable enough and are not willing to move.

The Phan Thiết City People’s Committee has been tasked with working with them and completing the acquisition.

If the project goes on schedule, the airport can open after 20 months along with the Đầu Giây – Phan Thiết Highway.

Phan Thiết will be one of the six domestic airports in the south.

By 2030 Việt Nam will have 28 airports, including 13 international ones. — VNS