The project will span more than 403 kilometres across nine provinces and cities, with a total investment of more than USD8bn. Groundbreaking is scheduled for December this year.
The Ministry of Construction has been appointed as the lead agency and will co-ordinate with relevant ministries, sectors and local authorities to develop and submit the investment plan for the prime minister’s approval, and to organise the project’s implementation on schedule.
Provincial people’s committees will oversee land clearance, compensation and resettlement support. Local governments must advance funds from their budgets to carry out these tasks.
The government has mandated that procedures for approving the technical assistance project and selecting consulting contractors for surveying and feasibility studies must be completed in May.
Also in May, the project will proceed with selecting consulting consortia for surveying and developing the overall and technical designs. From June, technical and comprehensive designs, including cost estimates, will be prepared and approved, with some bid packages expected to be completed by September.
Vietnamese authorities will also work with their Chinese counterparts to negotiate and sign an agreement to construct a shared border bridge in July. The feasibility study report and related procedures are to be finalised in the same month.
The State Appraisal Council is expected to evaluate and submit the feasibility report by August for the prime minister’s final approval.
Contractor selection for project implementation will follow a direct appointment process. Contracts will be signed, and all necessary conditions will be in place for groundbreaking in December 2025.
The government has set a target to complete construction, procurement and equipment installation by 2030.
The Ministry of Construction is tasked with reviewing and registering capital needs, while the Ministry of Finance will coordinate to ensure sufficient budget allocation for the project.
Additionally, the government has requested local authorities review and adjust zoning and detailed planning around station areas to facilitate land use and development under the transit-oriented development model.
