VietNamNet Bridge – The Government has given the nod to a number of major infrastructure projects nationwide, including those in the Thu Thiem New Urban Area in HCMC and a road linking Noi Bai-Lao Cai Expressway and Sa Pa Town in Lao Cai Province.

Noi Bai-Lao Cai expressway – File photo

According to the just-issued Document 567/TTg-KTN, the Government allows HCMC to award no-bid contracts to investors to develop infrastructure for the northern urban area and complete the north-south road in the Thu Thiem New Urban Area under the build-operate (BT) format.

The city authorities should urge the investors to implement the projects as scheduled and guarantee their quality.

Earlier, the city government selected HCMC Infrastructure Investment Joint Stock Company to carry out the two projects to develop infrastructure in functional sections 3 and 4 of the Thu Thiem New Urban Area and build a road section from Thu Thiem 1 Bridge to Mai Chi Tho Street.

The company plans to break ground for the two projects this month.

The road connecting Noi Bai-Lao Cai Expressway and Sa Pa Town in Lao Cai Province in Vietnam’s north will be funded by the State budget in line with Document 510/TTg-KTN signed by Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai and implemented under the build-operate-transfer (BOT) format.

This project consists of upgrading a 33.4-kilometer National Highway 4D section and constructing a 15.6-kilometer-long Provincial Road 155 from Lao Cai City to Sapa in the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai.

Lao Cai was assigned to represent the State to sign contracts with investors, and to coordinate with the Ministry of Transport and relevant agencies to make sure that the two roads will be built as scheduled.

The Ministry of Planning and Investment should coordinate with the Ministry of Finance to arrange funding and find a consultant for Lao Cai Province to execute the road project.

At the meeting with leaders of Lao Cai in January, Transport Minister Dinh La Thang said the investor’s proposal for financial aid of over VND2 trillion (US$93 million) from the State budget to carry out the road between Noi Bai-Lao Cai expressway and Sapa was not feasible.

Thang asked the investor and the consultant to adjust components of the road project to cut construction costs, saying the State budget would only provide support for certain components.

The ministry requested Lao Cai to develop a road between Noi Bai-Lao Cai and Sapa Town as soon as possible to ensure traffic safety following a tragic coach accident that killed 14 people in September last year.

In addition, the road will help spur tourism development in the resort town of Sapa, a famous destination for travelers in northwestern Vietnam.    

SGT