Opportunities for breakthroughs for Gia Lai and the Central Highlands

(GLO) - The Ministry of Construction, together with the provinces of Gia Lai, Dak Lak, and Lam Dong, have agreed to propose the investment policy for the Western section of the North-South Expressway, specifically the Pleiku - Buon Ma Thuot - Gia Nghia segment, under the public-private partnership (PPP) model.

This event has attracted considerable public attention because, if implemented, the project would become a strategic "boost," opening up opportunities for breakthroughs for the entire Central Highlands region in general and Gia Lai province in particular.

Simulated highway route, Pleiku - Buon Ma Thuot - Gia Nghia section. Photo: Internet

According to the proposal, the expressway will be approximately 257 km long, passing through three provinces: Gia Lai, Dak Lak , and Lam Dong.

Of that, the section through Gia Lai is nearly 57 km long. Phase 1 of the project involves the construction of a 4-lane highway with a design speed of 100 km/hour, with the starting point connecting to National Highway 19 in Gia Lai and the end point connecting to the Gia Nghia - Chon Thanh expressway. The total investment for the project is nearly 77,000 billion VND.

It is noteworthy that this project is fully consistent with the development orientation of the Central Highlands region as defined in Resolution No. 23-NQ/TW of the Politburo , as well as the Central Highlands Regional Planning for the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050.

Given that the Central Highlands region is still facing many bottlenecks in transportation infrastructure, the formation of a modern expressway will contribute to resolving the obstacles to the region's economic development.

For a long time, the route from Gia Lai through Dak Lak to Dak Nong (now part of Lam Dong) has mainly relied on National Highway 14. This road has not only borne a heavy transport burden but also posed a potential risk of traffic congestion and accidents.

Once the Pleiku - Buon Ma Thuot - Gia Nghia expressway is completed, the development space of the entire region will be significantly expanded thanks to its seamless connectivity with other strategic infrastructure projects such as the Quy Nhon - Pleiku or Khanh Hoa - Buon Ma Thuot expressways.

For Gia Lai in particular, this can be seen as a golden opportunity to reposition its role as a regional hub. Gia Lai has long possessed significant advantages in land resources, agriculture, renewable energy, and ecotourism, but high logistics costs remain a barrier preventing its competitiveness from reaching its full potential.

Once the expressway is completed, Gia Lai's goods and agricultural products will have an additional, faster and more convenient transportation corridor to the central seaports, and will also connect to Laos and Cambodia through international border gates such as Le Thanh and Bo Y.

Along with shortening travel time, this new expressway will create a new attraction for investment capital. According to economic experts, once the connectivity issue is resolved, the Central Highlands in general and Gia Lai in particular will have more opportunities to participate more deeply in regional supply and value chains. Besides the economic factor, the expressway also has strategic significance for national defense and security.

Of course, much work remains to be done to make the project a reality, but it can be said that the Pleiku - Buon Ma Thuot - Gia Nghia expressway is not just about opening a new road, but also about opening a new direction for development in the Central Highlands. Once infrastructure bottlenecks are removed, the opportunities for breakthroughs for Gia Lai and the entire region will become clearer than ever.

Source: https://baogialai.com.vn/co-hoi-but-pha-cho-gia-lai-va-tay-nguyen-post588843.html