The expressway will help the Central Highlands 'take off'.

The Central Highlands and South Central regions are known for their many advantages in developing agriculture, tourism , maritime transport, and fisheries. However, this advantageous region has not yet fully exploited its potential or complemented its strengths. There are many reasons for this, but the most significant obstacle is the fragmented, disconnected, and unsynchronized transportation system, which is hindering the region's rapid development.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attended the inauguration ceremony of the Cam Lam – Vinh Hao expressway at the end of April.

Recognizing this, in recent years, the Party and State have paid special attention to expressway projects, especially those in the South Central and Central Highlands regions. Some projects have even been completed ahead of schedule. For example, at the end of April, just before the holiday, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attended the inauguration ceremony of the Cam Lam – Vinh Hao component project. This is a very important project, as it has now resolved the final bottleneck in the more than 400 km long expressway from Ho Chi Minh City to Nha Trang.

The Cam Lam – Vinh Hao expressway was opened to traffic at the end of April.

Sharing the joy with the people of the South Central region and the whole country, at the opening ceremony, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized that the inauguration of the project was the result of joint efforts, high determination, the involvement of the entire political system, the people, businesses, and the close guidance of the Politburo and the Secretariat, headed by General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong.

According to the Prime Minister, when this project comes into operation, it will increase the total length of the North-South expressway to 1,187 km; bringing the total length of expressways in operation nationwide to over 2,000 km, shortening travel time for people.

The tradition of upholding the spirit of "overcoming the sun and conquering the rain"

A day before the April 30th - May 1st holiday, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and the Government delegation inspected the construction site, encouraged officials and workers, and urged the completion of several component projects of the North-South Expressway (eastern section, 2021-2025), passing through the provinces of Khanh Hoa, Binh Dinh, Phu Yen, and the Khanh Hoa - Buon Ma Thuot Expressway. This further demonstrates the determination of the head of the Government to "cover" the entire area with expressways.

Workers of Son Hai Group are working overtime on the Nha Trang – Van Phong section of the expressway project.

The first project that the Prime Minister inspected was the Van Phong – Nha Trang project, part of the North-South expressway (eastern section) for the 2021-2025 period. The project is over 83 km long, passing through four districts and towns: Van Ninh, Ninh Hoa, Dien Khanh, and Khanh Vinh in Khanh Hoa province; with a total investment of 11,808 billion VND, commenced in January 2023, and is scheduled for completion in December 2025.

According to the investor, land clearance work has basically met the requirements, with over 83 km handed over, reaching 99.7%, leaving only about 0.32 km of the main route remaining; 6 out of 6 resettlement areas have been completed and handed over to 203 out of 203 households. According to the investor's report, from the very beginning of construction, the project's contractors, all strong and professional, such as Son Hai Group, have proactively focused on finding and resolving issues related to construction material sources. Mr. Nguyen Van Huy, Project Director of Son Hai Group, stated that thanks to proactively producing, ordering, and transporting materials, they avoided shortages and price gouging, ensuring smooth construction and preventing delays.

According to our reporter's observations, to ensure the project's progress, contractors have mobilized 42 out of 42 construction teams, 1,020 pieces of equipment, and 1,877 personnel simultaneously along the entire route. The cumulative output to date is 3,451/7,138 billion VND, reaching 50% of the contract value and exceeding the contract plan by 5%. The output of each contractor has generally exceeded the planned schedule.

During the inspection, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh commended the Project Management Board and contractors for their proactive and diligent implementation of the project, drawing on experience from previous projects. The Prime Minister requested that the project be substantially completed by April 30, 2025, to allow for adjustments to shorten the timeline; that they continue to uphold the spirit of "overcoming the sun and rain," "working overtime and extra shifts," "eating quickly and sleeping urgently," and "working three shifts, four teams, through holidays and Tet"; and that they improve quality, ensuring technical standards, aesthetics, safety, and environmental hygiene.

"The sooner the project is completed, the sooner the people will benefit."

During an inspection of the Khanh Hoa – Buon Ma Thuot expressway project, the Prime Minister emphasized that the Khanh Hoa – Buon Ma Thuot expressway project is of great importance, connecting the Central Highlands and South Central regions; the sooner the project is completed, the sooner the people will benefit, and the Central Highlands and South Central regions will have more opportunities for development.

The Nha Trang – Cam Lam expressway has been in operation since June 2023.

Following this, the head of government requested the two provinces of Khanh Hoa and Dak Lak to expedite land clearance, encourage on-site resettlement, and arrange temporary housing, ensuring that people have new homes that are better than or equal to their old homes.

The Khánh Hòa – Buôn Ma Thuột expressway project, phase 1, is 117.5 km long, passing through two provinces: Khánh Hòa (approximately 32.7 km) and Đắk Lắk (approximately 84.8 km). It has 4 lanes and is divided into 3 component projects, corresponding to 3 sections. Component project 1 is managed by the People's Committee of Khánh Hòa province, with a total investment of VND 5,333 billion; component project 2 is managed by the Ministry of Transport (VND 10,436 billion); and component project 3 is managed by the People's Committee of Đắk Lắk province (VND 6,165 billion).

According to the planned schedule, the project will essentially complete some sections with high traffic volume in 2025, essentially complete the entire route in 2026, and be fully operational in 2027. To date, land clearance for Project 1 has reached 74%, Project 2 72%, and Project 3 98%.

After hearing a report on the financial difficulties related to the BOT project for National Highway 26 if an interchange is built between the Khanh Hoa - Buon Ma Thuot Expressway and National Highway 26, the Prime Minister agreed in principle to the construction of the interchange, emphasizing the need to build it immediately to facilitate construction alongside the project. He stressed the importance of prioritizing the overall plan, choosing the best option that benefits the people and the country, and ensuring a harmonious solution that addresses the interests of investors.

The Prime Minister also requested relevant agencies to urgently address obstacles, complete procedures related to forests, handle salvaged assets and related procedures, and promptly hand over the land for construction to commence. In response to the Prime Minister's request, Son Hai Group, representing the construction contractors, committed to making every effort to shorten the project timeline by six months.

According to reports from the Ministry of Transport and Project Management Board 7, the project's contractors are all strong and professional, proactively seeking and resolving obstacles related to construction materials, while also actively concentrating equipment and personnel to accelerate project progress. Commending the units, the Prime Minister requested that the project be substantially completed by April 30, 2025, as a benchmark to adjust and shorten the timeline.

Regarding land clearance issues, the Prime Minister requested that local authorities and the Vietnam Electricity Group (EVN) urgently address and resolve them completely. EVN needs to transfer equipment from other projects for the relocation of power facilities serving this project, without delaying equipment. On the part of Khanh Hoa province, the provincial leaders committed to the Prime Minister their determination to complete land clearance by May.

A massive plan for transportation in the Central Highlands.

There's more good news for the Central Highlands, as in May, the Ministry of Transport, in coordination with central and local agencies, discussed various solutions to develop transportation projects for the region. In particular, priority will be given to developing road and air routes, focusing on removing transportation bottlenecks in the region, ensuring a widespread and inter-regional connection between the Central Highlands and the Central Coast and Southeast regions, thereby exploiting and maximizing the region's potential and advantages.

According to the plan, the Ministry of Transport will coordinate and support localities in the research and investment process for expressways such as: Quy Nhon – Pleiku, Khanh Hoa – Buon Ma Thuot, Tan Phu – Bao Loc, Bao Loc – Lien Khuong, Gia Nghia – Chon Thanh, and some sections of the North-South expressway in the west. It will also expand Lien Khuong, Pleiku, and Buon Ma Thuot airports; restore and upgrade the Thap Cham – Da Lat railway line; and develop a railway line connecting the Central Highlands (Da Nang – Kon Tum – Gia Lai – Dak Lak – Dak Nong – Binh Phuoc).

By 2030, the Ministry of Transport is expected to complete the construction and put into operation the Quy Nhon – Pleiku expressway, 180 km long, with a preliminary total investment of approximately 54,000 billion VND. By 2027, the Khanh Hoa – Buon Ma Thuot expressway, 118 km long, with a preliminary total investment of nearly 22,000 billion VND, will be put into operation. Simultaneously, the Gia Nghia – Chon Thanh expressway, 129 km long, with a preliminary total investment of over 25,500 billion VND, will also be put into operation.

In addition, there are plans to put into operation the Tan Phu – Bao Loc expressway, 67 km long, with a total investment of over 18,120 billion VND by 2028. By 2025, the Ministry of Transport is also studying the addition of the Quang Ngai – Kon Tum expressway to the plan. Studies are also being conducted to prepare for investment in the western North-South expressway, with the investment process after 2030 including: the Ngoc Hoi – Pleiku expressway, 90 km long, 6 lanes, with a preliminary total investment of approximately 18,900 billion VND; the Pleiku – Buon Ma Thuot expressway, 160 km long, 6 lanes, with a preliminary total investment of approximately 33,600 billion VND; and the Buon Ma Thuot – Gia Nghia expressway, 105 km long, 6 lanes, with a total investment of 22,050 billion VND.

Regarding national highways, the remaining 63 km of the national highway (Kon Tum – Quang Ngai) is expected to be upgraded with a total investment of VND 2,500 billion by 2030. For railways, by 2030, investment preparation for the restoration and renovation of the Thap Cham – Da Lat railway line and the railway connecting the Central Highlands (Da Nang – Kon Tum – Gia Lai – Dak Lak – Dak Nong – Binh Phuoc) is expected to be completed. For aviation, the Ministry of Transport plans to complete the upgrading of three airports by 2029: Lien Khuong Airport, Pleiku Airport, and Buon Ma Thuot Airport, and complete the planning for Mang Den Airport by 2025.

The Cam Lam – Vinh Hao component project, spanning 79 km across three provinces: Khanh Hoa, Ninh Thuan, and Binh Thuan, was invested in under a public-private partnership (PPP) model with a total investment of 8,925 billion VND. Following its inauguration, tens of thousands of people chose this road to experience the recent April 30th and May 1st holidays. Observations indicate that despite the surge in passenger numbers, traffic congestion was minimal on this route.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/cao-toc-se-giup-tay-nguyen-cat-canh-185240630222208321.htm