Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha speaks at the meeting. (Photo: Van Diep/VNA)

Adjust the design synchronously, minimize demolition

Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha stated that the Prime Minister has given consistent instructions on investing in complete four-lane expressways to ensure technical safety, economic efficiency as well as investment efficiency.

In addition, the National Assembly decided to add additional capital for the Tuyen Quang - Ha Giang Expressway Project (phase 1) from the increased central budget revenue in 2023.

Therefore, the adjustment of investment policy, scale and design of Tuyen Quang - Ha Giang Expressway Project (phase 1) needs to be carried out urgently to ensure efficiency.

The Deputy Prime Minister assigned the Government Office, the Ministry of Planning and Investment to coordinate with the provinces of Tuyen Quang, Ha Giang, and a number of relevant ministries and branches to advise the Prime Minister to issue a directive document, assigning authority to the two provinces of Tuyen Quang and Ha Giang to decide to adjust the investment policy and technical design for this expressway project in the direction of expanding the entire route to 4 lanes, including completing the construction of the section from the National Highway 37 intersection to the National Highway 3B intersection (22km long) with a scale of 4 lanes.

At the same time, technical infrastructure works (residential roads, underpasses, underground works...) in the 2-lane section must be adjusted to a synchronous design, minimizing demolition and generating large construction volume when expanding to 4 lanes in phase 2.

“The adjustment of the investment policy and technical design of the Tuyen Quang - Ha Giang Expressway Project (phase 1) will be the preliminary basis for balancing and allocating central and local capital sources for the project in phase 2,” said the Deputy Prime Minister.

Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha chaired the meeting. (Photo: Van Diep/VNA)

Regarding ensuring the progress of completing this expressway project, the Deputy Prime Minister requested Tuyen Quang and Ha Giang provinces to create a progress map; make efforts, reach consensus, and be highly determined; mobilize the entire political system to participate, join forces, stand side by side with contractors, and strive to achieve the set goals.

Here, the Deputy Prime Minister assigned the Ministry of Planning and Investment to review and study the proposal of Ha Giang province, and report to the National Assembly on allowing the application of specific mechanisms and policies when implementing the Tuyen Quang - Ha Giang Expressway Project (phase 1) through Ha Giang province, similar to what Tuyen Quang province is doing for the section through Tuyen Quang province.

No investment costs wasted

According to the previous report, regarding the approved investment policy, the Tuyen Quang - Ha Giang Expressway Project (phase 1) through Tuyen Quang province has a length of 77km, of which 69.7km will be newly built with an investment scale of 2 lanes, a design speed of 80km/h, site clearance for 4 lanes, with a total investment of 6,800 billion VND.

Up to now, Tuyen Quang province has cleared 82% of the land with a complete scale of 4 lanes; construction has reached over 12% of the total construction volume of the entire route, ensuring the project's completion by the end of 2025.

However, to promote investment efficiency and connect with important routes serving local and regional economic development, Tuyen Quang province proposed adjusting the investment policy of the Tuyen Quang - Ha Giang Expressway Project (phase 1) for the section through Tuyen Quang province.

The section from the National Highway 37 intersection to the National Highway 3B intersection (22km long) will have its roadbed and surface expanded to 4 lanes, with a design speed of 100 km/h. The remaining section will continue to be implemented according to the approved project documents.

Chairman of the People's Committee of Tuyen Quang province Nguyen Van Son said that this plan will help the province immediately promote part of the project's investment efficiency when connecting with National Highways 37 and 3B with high traffic density; at the same time, meet the progress of opening the entire Tuyen Quang - Ha Giang expressway by the end of 2025 in accordance with the direction of the Prime Minister.

Speaking at the meeting, leaders of the Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Planning and Investment, Ministry of Construction, and Ministry of Finance analyzed the legal basis, level of decision to adjust investment policy, ability to balance capital sources, economic efficiency, technical design, etc. for the proposed plan of Tuyen Quang province, to ensure compliance with legal regulations, no waste of investment costs, and implementation in accordance with the direction of the Prime Minister./.