Intersection on Cam Lam-Vinh Hao Expressway. (Photo: VGP/Ta Hai)

Previously, on August 26, 2023, the Prime Minister issued Official Dispatch No. 769/CD-TTg on reviewing the connection with expressways to promote investment efficiency and promote socio-economic development of regions and localities.

The telegram stated that reality has proven that the construction of expressways has created an important driving force to help localities open up new economic and social development spaces in the area; many urban areas, industrial parks, services, and tourism have been formed and are one of the attractive investment attraction products..., improving the efficiency of land exploitation and use, creating more jobs and livelihoods for people.

However, there are still some cases where the connection between expressways and the road system in localities is still limited, and there is no connection between expressways and planning, so the potentials, advantages, and new development spaces have not been effectively exploited to promote local socio-economic development.

In order to maximize the investment efficiency of expressways, create momentum and promote socio-economic development of regions and localities, in the Official Dispatch, the Prime Minister requested the Ministry of Transport, based on the review results, to urgently report to competent authorities or coordinate with localities to consider prioritizing capital allocation and mobilizing all other legal resources to invest in additional necessary intersections to maximize the investment efficiency of expressways, create new development spaces, create momentum to promote socio-economic development of localities and regions...

Implementing the direction of the Prime Minister, the Ministry of Transport and relevant ministries and agencies have issued a written report on connecting expressways according to Official Dispatch No. 769/CD-TTg.

After reviewing the above reports, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha directed the Ministry of Transport to study and fully absorb the opinions of ministries and agencies to complete the Report, noting: coordinating with localities to clarify the suitability of intersections and connecting routes with related planning; clearly defining the responsibilities and authority to decide on investment in intersections and connecting routes in compliance with the provisions of Decree No. 25/2023/ND-CP dated May 19, 2023 of the Government on management, exploitation and maintenance of expressway works and related laws; reviewing and prioritizing investment in intersections and connecting routes in accordance with the ability to balance capital to ensure efficiency, feasibility and maximum mobilization of resources to soon invest in intersections and connecting routes.

At the same time, the Ministry of Transport shall preside over and coordinate with the Ministry of Planning and Investment, the Ministry of Finance, the State Capital Management Committee at Enterprises and localities to unify plans to soon invest in intersections and connecting routes of projects managed by the Vietnam Expressway Corporation (VEC) in accordance with the law.

The Ministry of Transport shall complete the report to the Prime Minister before September 15, 2024.

The Deputy Prime Minister also requested the Ministries of Construction, Planning and Investment, Natural Resources and Environment, People's Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities to closely coordinate with the Ministry of Transport in the process of reviewing and finalizing the Report; continue to carry out the tasks assigned by the Prime Minister in Official Dispatch No. 769/CD-TTg dated August 26, 2023 on reviewing the connection with expressways to promote investment efficiency and promote socio-economic development of regions and localities.