VietNamNet Bridge – The Ministry of Transport has proposed that the government invite investment from the private sector to complete the Yen Vien-Ha Long-Cai Lan railway project.

Ha Long Station, part of the Yen Vien-Cai Lan railway project. - VNA/VNS Photo

The project, which commenced in 2004 with an initial investment of VND7.7 trillion (US$3.39 billion), aims to connect Yen Vien Station in Ha Noi with Cai Lan Station in the northern province of Quang Ninh. It has been designed to shorten the rail route between the capital city and the province by 37km from the current 168km, and thus reduce the travel time to between two and two-and-a-half hours.

Khuong The Duy, deputy director of Viet Nam Railway Authority, said around VND4.3 trillion of the initial VND7.7 trillion has been disbursed. Work on the route came to a halt in 2011 because of insufficient capital. To restart the project, another VND6 trillion is needed, he said.

“At present, the government is gathering opinions from ministries and relevant agencies on how to restart the project. After the prime minister makes his decision, the ministry will propose specific mechanisms to attract investors,” he said.  

Cai Lan Station already has seven lines, as well as a warehouse and container area. However, it has not been used since 2014, station chief Nguyen Duc Tan told Giao Thong (Transport) newspaper.

The station management has been doing routine maintenance of the tracks and the station infrastructure to minimise the degradation of facilities, Tan said.

Similarly, Ha Long Station in the province is serving only one train a day, with very few passengers.

Prior to 2014, the route between Cai Lan and Ha Long stations used to serve dozens of goods trains transporting steel, but the lack of connectivity with other stations and incomplete infrastructure lengthened travel time and increased the cost for transportation, which has driven away traffic from this rail route, Duy said.

In March this year, during a meeting with the transport ministry, authorities from Quang Ninh Province authorities suggested that the railway project be restarted to fully exploit the potential of rail transportation in the province and to attract freight transport to Quang Ninh seaport.

The full potential of this seaport has also not been exploited in the past few years, partly because of the incomplete rail route. Meanwhile, seaports in the neighbouring city of Hai Phong are over-burdened.

Source: VNS