Vietnam Needs US$67.5Bln for Transport Projects

Vietnam will need US$67.5 billion to develop key infrastructure projects from now till 2020, to boost its economy.

 

Vietnam Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung just approved key transport works in two phases, aiming to lure more foreign investors.

 

In the 2006-10 period, Vietnam will carry out the Hanoi-Ho Chi Minh-Can Tho expressway, build roads for the Vietnam-China Economic Corridor, modernize the North-South railway, and upgrade the Yen Vien-Lao Cai rail link to serve mineral exploitation, international harbors and airports.

 

From 2010 to 2020, Vietnam will continue sections of North-South high-speed route; finalizing the two corridors and one economic belt between Vietnam and China, and continuously expand highway No.1; ensuring the nation’s transport arteries.

 

According to the Vietnam Road Administration, Vietnam has 222,179 km roads, of which 19.0 per cent are paved with capacity to carry over 376 million passengers in the first quarter of 2007 alone.

 

Vietnam now has a total 2,600 km of rail line, most of which is degraded and should be improved.

 

(Vietnam Economic Times)