HÀ NỘI — Construction work of the Diễn Châu-Bãi Vọt section of the North-South Expressway running through the central provinces of Nghệ An and Hà Tĩnh began on Saturday.

The 50-km stretch will have four lanes in its first phase, and includes an 1.1km-long tunnel and a 4-km long bridge.

Costing more than VNĐ11.15 trillion (US$482.5 million), this is the section with the biggest investment among the 11 sections of the North-South Expressway. Of the total, VNĐ6.06 trillion ($261.7 million) will come from the State capital, while the rest will be secured from investors.

A BOT contract was signed for the project on May 13. The expressway section is scheduled for completion in three years, with the tolling period estimated at 16 years and six months.

Addressing the ground-breaking ceremony, Deputy Minister of Transport Nguyễn Nhật asked the investors to ensure that it would be completed in the first quarter of 2023.

The official asked Nghệ An and Hà Tĩnh provinces to promptly complete ground clearance and resettlement work.

He said that in the future, the ministry would launch the construction of two other sections, Nha Trang-Cam Lâm and Cam Lâm-Vĩnh Hảo of the North-South Expressway. — VNS