A vehicle registration inspector. — VNA/VNS Photo

Minister of Transport Nguyễn Văn Thắng has made a commitment to resume operations at vehicle registration centres nationwide no later than early July.

Responding to National Assembly deputies during a question-and-answer session on Wednesday afternoon, Thắng said many centres can not reopen due to staff shortages.

Citing the fact that 106 out of 281 vehicle registration centres across the country were closed for inspection for wrongdoings, the minister said violations found at those centres were serious, forcing drivers and businesses to waste a lot of time waiting. As many as 600 leaders and officials of the Việt Nam Register have been prosecuted.

The country has more than 2,000 vehicle registration staff but one third have been prosecuted, he said, adding that it takes a long time to recruit and train new staff.

The ministry has called for support from military inspectors and retired staff to work extra hours, even on holidays, to meet demand, he said.

The Việt Nam Register has so far recruited about 350 more inspectors. The ministry will propose to the Government a new regulation that does not require three inspectors in one inspection line, hoping that with this plan, there will be no longer shortage of inspectors, he said.

He said not only is the ministry working to resume operations, they are also reviewing registration activities to ensure a smooth and effective service.

“We are applying technology in supervising registration activities and reduce manual workload as well as launch the online application and payment for vehicle registration,” he told the NA meeting.

Speaking specifically about online applications, he said like many other countries, after making an online registration, drivers will receive an appointment to attend a centre and no longer have to wait in line like before.

Thắng also cleared up queries regarding transport infrastructure investment.

The sector’s disbursement of public investment fulfilled more than 96.5 per cent of the plan in 2022, and more than 30 per cent of the target in the first five months of this year, according to the official.

Meanwhile, on the subject of the implementation of projects, especially key ones, he said progress has been ensured, adding that 566 kilometres of expressways have been put into service since the beginning of the tenure, raising the total operational expressways to 1,729 kilometres.

The construction of expressway projects included in the socio-economic recovery and development plan is also expected to begin this month as scheduled, he stressed.

The minister briefed the legislators on the sector’s performance in institutional perfection, administrative reform, e-government building and digital transformation, which have reaped positive achievements over the past time.

Responding to a question on the proposals of some provinces to expand seriously-downgraded national highways, using the local budget, the minister said the Government and the Prime Minister have proposed the NA Standing Committee issue a resolution in this regard.

The matter has also been included in the reviewed Law on Road Traffic, the minister noted.

Asked about the Yên Viên-Cái Lân railway project, began 2005 but was suspended in 2011, Thắng said the Politburo has requested that the railway must be implemented before 2030.

The transport ministry and other relevant ministries and agencies will give consultations to the PM in capital allocation for the project, he said. — VNS