HCMC – The Government has proposed the National Assembly (NA) allow the provinces where three expressways will pass through to use their own budgets to partially fund these projects.
On May 13, the NA’s Standing Committee discussed the Government’s plans to execute the first phase of the Chau Doc-Can Tho-Soc Trang, Khanh Hoa-Buon Ma Thuot and Bien Hoa-Vung Tau expressway projects. They require a total of over VND84 trillion, the local media reported.
As proposed by the Government, the Chau Doc-Can Tho-Soc Trang expressway project will be 188.2 kilometers long, have six lanes and need nearly VND44.7 trillion.
Meanwhile, the 53.7 kilometer Bien Hoa-Vung Tau expressway project was designed to have six to eight lanes and require an estimated VND17.8 trillion.
In addition, the four-lane Khanh Hoa-Buon Ma Thuot expressway project will have a length of 117.5 kilometers and need more than VND21.9 trillion in the first phase.
Thus, these projects will use capital from five sources—the mid-term public investment in the 2021-2025 period allocated for the Ministry of Transport, the capital from the socioeconomic recovery and development, local budgets, the State budget savings in 2021 and the capital for 2026 from the mid-term public investment in the 2026-2030 period.
Work on the three projects is expected to start next year and be completed in 2025.
The Government suggested some special policies for the three projects, including those on the appointment of contractors, building materials and autonomy.
As for the Government’s proposal to source the capital for the projects from local budgets, the NA’s Economic Committee has expressed its support. NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue said in difficult and urgent situations, the Government may weigh the use of both the State capital and local capital to execute the expressway projects.
However, only Ba Ria-Vung Tau has committed VND670 billion.
Minister of Transport Nguyen Van The said seven other localities were expected to make commitments on the capital of over VND8.3 trillion for the three expressway projects before the NA discussed the projects.
The ministry will submit to the NA a draft plan on the responsibility of the Government, the Ministry of Transport and the relevant ministries, agencies and provinces, The added.
NA Chairman Hue said these projects were important. If the provinces concerned commit to partially funding the projects but fail to fulfill the commitments, they must also bear responsibility.
