PM inspects key transport projects in southern region

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh examined the projects of Ring Road 3 in Ho Chi Minh City, Long Thanh International Airport in Dong Nai province, and Bien Hoa - Vung Tau Expressway on February 13.

The Ring Road 3 project, about 76.34km long, traverses HCM City and the nearby provinces of Binh Duong, Long An, and Dong Nai. Invested with some 75.378 trillion VND (3 billion USD), it is scheduled to be basically completed in 2025 and put into use in 2026.

Visiting the engineers and workers who are building an elevated section of this road in Thu Duc city of HCM City, PM Chinh appreciated them working throughout the Lunar New Year (Tet) holiday to step up construction.

He said Ring Road 3 of HCM City plays an important role in connecting main domestic and international transport gateways, linking economic hubs in the south, and promoting socio-economic development in not only HCM City but also the entire southern region and Vietnam.

Given this, the Government leader asked the relevant localities and units to keep making efforts to accelerate the project and put it into use in 2026.

At the construction site of Long Thanh International Airport, PM Chinh said this was the third Tet he had inspected this project, after the Tet holidays in 2022 and 2023.

He praised efforts by ministries and sectors, especially the Ministry of Transport, the Airports Corporation of Vietnam, along with the Party organisation, administration and people of Dong Nai province, in implementing the project.

As this project is lagging behind schedule, he ordered ministries, sectors, units, and the province push ahead with accelerating its progress to complete the construction in 2026.

The PM also ordered them conduct frequent examination to ensure the quality, technical and aesthetic aspects, environmental hygiene, and labour safety while preventing negative acts and wastefulness.

In addition, he asked for the resettlement work to be centred on people, noting that it is important to properly handle people’s opinions, protect their rights and legitimate interests, and especially ensure their life quality in new living places is better than in previous ones.

On this occasion, PM Chinh also visited a resettlement area for the airport project in An Binh hamlet of Loc An commune, Long Thanh district.

The same day, he made a fact-finding trip of the Bien Hoa - Vung Tau Expressway project, which is 53.7km long in the first phase and has total investment of nearly 18 trillion VND. This road will feature six intersections, including two important ones of HCM City - Long Thanh - Dau Giay and Ben Luc - Long Thanh.

Talking to relevant ministries, sectors, and localities, the Cabinet chief highlighted this expressway’s importance to connecting HCM City - Long Thanh - Dau Giay Expressway, Ben Luc Expressway, and the roads to Long Thanh Airport, thus helping solve traffic congestion on National Highway 51.

Bien Hoa - Vung Tau Expressway will also help maximise the potential of the Cai Mep - Thi Vai seaport complex and Long Thanh Airport while fostering socio-economic development in Dong Nai and Ba Ria - Vung Tau provinces as well as the southeastern region, he added.

The PM assigned tasks to the relevant sides and demanded that all difficulties and obstacles related to site clearance and construction materials must be resolved by June 30 this year to speed up the project and complete it in 2025.

On the afternoon of the same day, PM Chinh attended a ceremony to welcome international ships and give the order to handle the first cargo in the Year of the Dragon at Tan Cang - Cai Mep international port (TCIT) in Phu My commune, Ba Ria - Vung Tau province.