Ministries and localities must peed up the implementation of expressway projects to ensure that the country has around 5,000 kilometers of expressways by 2030.

The construction of expressways is part of Vietnam's efforts for socio-economic recovery. Photo: The Hanoi Times

The Government Office released the conclusion of Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh after a meeting held last week on the preparation of expressway projects for the 2021-2025 period.

Under the remarks, Thanh highlighted the efforts of the Ministry of Transport (MoT) and provinces/cities, including Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, in preparing for the approval process of expressway projects during the 2021-2025 period.

Among them, Thanh stressed the completion of the Eastern North-South Expressway project with a length of 865 kilometers by 2025 would have significant impacts on socio-economic recovery,  bringing the country closer to the goal of having 3,000 kilometers of expressways by 2025 and 5,000 kilometers by 2030 set by the 13^th National Party Congress.

The National Assembly in resolution No.43 released on January 11, 2022, urged the Government to realize the public investment plan for the 2022-2023 period as part of the socio-economic recovery program.

“Expressways, in this context, remain the key factor to boost socio-economic development in different economic zones,” Thanh said, calling for ministries and localities to act on the national interest and focus on the realization of these projects.

Thanh mentioned ring road No.3 in  Ho Chi Minh City and ring road No.4 of the Hanoi metropolitan area as priorities soon and set the deadline for completing the investment procedures before March 20, 2022.

Regarding the two expressway projects of Bien Hoa – Vung Tau and Khanh Hoa – Buon Ma Thuot, the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) is tasked with consulting with the Prime Minister for the establishing a national approval council before February 16, 2022.

The MoT is expected to work with localities and set up a list of projects at national priority to report to the prime minister before March 2022.

Each province/city would be responsible for completing site clearances and resettlement process of affected households in time and avoiding possible delay.