The Ministry of Transport has just held a meeting on the final report on “Comprehensive study on the sustainable development of Vietnam’s transport network”, focusing on building the North-South high-speed railway.
According to the Ministry of Transport, Vietnam expects to put the North-South high-speed railway into operation after 2036 with a speed of 300 kilometres per hour. The route will have more advantages than air and road transport in the transport distance of 300- 500 kilometres.
The Ministry has prepared for the railway construction. It will invest some VND30 trillion for the site clearance.
At the meeting, a representative from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) informed the ministry of the comprehensive study’s pace on Vietnam’s transport network development. The official also proposed technologies for the railway construction. The route, which is 1,570 kilometres long, will have a total investment of US$55.85 billion. After being completed in 2036, the route can allow trains to travel at a speed of 300 kilometres per hour.
The representative also said that Vietnam-Japan Consulting Joint Venture (VJC) has proposed use of Japan’s Shinkansen technology to construct the railway. The technology is selected after comparing and analysing three forms of the world’s most advanced technology in building high-speed railways, including Japan’s Shinkansen, France’s TGV and Germany’s ICE.
Once fully operational, the railway will help save 57 per cent of operation costs, 17 per cent of time and 20 per cent of road traffic accidents. The project will boost urbanisations of areas located along the route as well as improve the country’s current roads.
During the conference, participants also pointed out difficulties to carry out the projects related to policy and capital for site clearance. With the changing world economic situation, the biggest challenge for capital for site clearance and construction. This is a big project which will receive the state’s priorities. Of this, the state-funded 70 per cent of the project’s total capital will be poured into infrastructure development and the rest will be held by the Vietnam Railway Corporation (VRG).
According to Nguyen Huu Bang, General Director of VRG, his corporation plans to spend more than VND30 trillion for site clearance and resettlement of the project. The capital is based on estimation of VJC which is formed by Transport Investment and Construction Consultant Joint Stock Company (TRICC) and three Japanese partners namely Japan Transportation Consultants Inc. (JTC) and JARTS (Japan Railway Technical Service. (JARTS) and Nippon Koei Company (NK).
Luong Tuan
Vietnamese
