The other two are the Vinh Hao-Phan Thiet and Phat Thiet-Dau Giay sections, which saw the attendance of Deputy Prime Ministers Trinh Dinh Dung and Truong Hoa Binh at ground-breaking ceremonies in Binh Thuan and Dong Nai Provinces, respectively.
The Mai Son-National Highway 45 section will cover 63 kilometres and run from Ninh Binh Province to Thanh Hoa Province while the 101-kilometre Vinh Hao-Phan Thiet will be located entirely in Binh Thuan Province.
The 99-kilometre Phan Thien-Dau Giay section will connect the two provinces of Binh Thuan and Dong Nai.
The three sections will cost a total of VND37 trillion (US$1.6 billion) and are expected to be completed by the end of 2022.
With a total length of 654 kilometres across 11 sub-projects, the eastern part of the north-south expressway will connect major economic centres and significantly improve Vietnam’s transport infrastructure once fully completed.
Speaking at the ground-breaking ceremony held in Thanh Hoa Province, PM Phuc stated that the relevant documents will continue to be prepared in October in order to start construction on the remaining five sections.
The head of government added that he has asked the ministries concerned to work hard so that the expressway from Lang Son to Ca Mau will be fully completed in the next five years.
He emphasised that without good transport infrastructure, it will be difficult for the country to move forward and that the transport system must be one step ahead in the national industrialisation and modernisation drive.
Vietnam is aiming to have around 5,000 kilometres of expressway by 2030, with 1,300-1,500 kilometres completed during the 2021-2025 period.
To date, the country has completed 1,041 kilometres of expressway at a total cost of VND173 trillion (US$7.5 billion).
