VietNamNet Bridge – The Ministry of Transport and relevant State agencies needed to mobilise social funding for transport projects, as the current funding available for the transport sector this year stood at only VND20 trillion (over US$961.5 billion) - half of last year's figure, Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai said at an online conference in Ha Noi yesterday, Jan 10.

Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai asks the Ministry of Transport and relevant State agencies to mobilise social funding for transport projects.

Moreover, many transport projects had been progressing slowly and were of poor quality, he said, adding that 2013 transport projects must take climate change into account.

The Ministry of Transport plans to develop an investment portfolio this year that gives priority to key projects such as roads connecting important economic areas and railways, harbours and airports that can act as hubs to further global economic integration.

The portfolio will be submitted to the Government within the second quarter.

In addition, the ministry said it would try not to implement too many new projects that required Government funding, withdraw funding from projects where progress had been slow and ineffective, distribute official development assistance funding more quickly and increase quality inspections.

Last year, the Ministry of Transport launched 80 local projects and 38 projects under its own management, while completing more than 130 local projects and 76 ministerial projects.

Many key projects, such as flyovers in Ha Noi and HCM City and the Phu Quoc Airport, were completed in time or before the deadline, while slower projects like the Ha Noi - Hai Phong and Noi Bai - Lao Cai highways got a boost.
The ministry spent over VND36.9 trillion ($1.77 billion) last year for traffic construction projects and disbursed over VND39.5 trillion (nearly $1.9 billion).

A total of over VND28.9 trillion (nearly $1.39 billion) from the Government's budget and bonds was spent while over 31.5 trillion ($1.5 billion) was disbursed, reaching 164 per cent and 182 per cent of the initial targets set at the beginning of the year.

Hai congratulated the transport industry for its achievements in 2012, notably the disbursement of nearly 99 per cent of funding for key traffic projects despite budget woes.

HCM City targets elimination of accident hotspots

Meanwhile, the HCM City Road and Railway Traffic Police Bureau plans to eliminate the "accident hotspot" designation given to several areas in the city and stop new hotspots from cropping up.

The bureau also aims to prevent illegal racing, according to speakers at a seminar held Wednesday to review the city's 2012 traffic record and set tasks for the coming months.

In particular, police hope to reduce the number of traffic accidents, fatalities and injuries by 10 per cent this year.

The number of traffic accidents in the city last year went down by 20 per cent against 2011.

The city had 6,778 traffic accidents last year that left 786 people dead and more than 6,400 injured. It also had 13 serious traffic jams that lasted more than 30 minutes, a year-on-year decrease of 25.

Tran Thanh Tra, deputy head of the bureau, said officers would keep close watch on areas where traffic jams and accidents frequently occurred and work closely with the city's Youth Volunteer Force and Youth Union to eliminate traffic jams. The bureau would also work with crime police, mobile police and other agencies to deter illegal racing.

Source: VNS