VietNamNet Bridge – The Deo Ca Investment joint-stock company plans to broaden the single-lane Hai Van rescue tunnel parallel to a two-lane traffic route to match the existing two-lane tunnel route.

The Deo Ca Investment joint-stock company plans to broaden the single-lane Hai Van rescue tunnel parallel to a two-lane traffic route to match the existing two-lane tunnel route. — Photo laodong

It will spend a total of VND6.2 trillion (US$290 million) on the task, beginning in the first quarter of next year.

The company's general director, Ho Minh Hoang, revealed this at a meeting with Da Nang City's People's committee on Tuesday.

Hoang said the project aimed to expand the current rescue tunnel as a main traffic route on National Highway No 1.

"The rescue tunnel expansion project will be built under the Built-Operate-Transfer system, which is scheduled to be completed in 2019.

The project also includes plans to build two short roads to the tunnel from nearby towns.

These are a 2.1km road from Lang Co town in Thua Thien-Hue and a 4.3km section from Da Nang to the Tunnel.

Vice-chairman of the city's People's Committee, Nguyen Ngoc Tuan, said the expansion needed more technical discussions among Vietnamese and Japanese experts.

Nguyen Dinh Bach, general director of the Hai Van Tunnel Management and Development Company, who manages the tunnel, said that between 2005 and 2014, 11 vehicles overturned in the tunnel.

There were also 53 accidents and 41 vehicle fires in the period.

Bach said the expansion project would involve Japanese experts, as the project was part of Japan's Official Development Assistance (ODA).

The Hai Van Tunnel, which was built at a cost of $150 million, is the longest road tunnel in Southeast Asia.

It plays a key role on the East-West Economic Corridor that links Laos, Thailand, Myanmar and Viet Nam.

The Deo Ca Company is also building the 3.9km Deo Ca Tunnel on National Highway 1.

This links the two central provinces of Phu Yen and Khanh Hoa. Total investment will be VND10.5 trillion ($500 million).

Last year, the Ministry of Transport also started construction of the 80km La Son-Tuy Loan section on the Ho Chi Minh Highway in central Thua Thien-Hue Province to help reduce congestion through the Hai Van Tunnel.

VNS