The PM has ordered completion of 3,000km of expressways and the Long Thanh International Airport project by the end of the year. Photo baochinhphu.vn
Chairing the 20th session of the State steering committee for key national projects and priority transport works, the PM said that public investment is one of the three pillars driving economic growth.
He emphasised that expressways, airports and seaports are significant infrastructure works as well as development corridors that will open up new economic space, improve national connectivity, reduce congestion and create a cleaner, greener environment.
With only four months left, PM Chinh urged agencies to meet two major milestones: putting over 3,000km of expressways into operation and ensuring the basic completion of the Long Thanh International Airport project.
These achievements will be landmark results for the Government’s current term and symbolic contributions to the upcoming 14th National Party Congress, he said.
The PM said that completing the projects is a mandatory political task and underscored that every ministry, province, contractor and worker must take responsibility for meeting deadlines while ensuring safety and quality.
Progress and setbacks
Since the committee’s last meeting in late July, the transport sector has made notable gains. An additional 208km of expressways have been completed, bringing the nationwide total to 2,476km. Major projects such as Dau Giay-Tan Phu, HCM City-Long Thanh and Hanoi's Ring Road 4 (section 3) have also broken ground, while 250 projects were inaugurated or launched on August 19 to celebrate the 80th anniversary of National Day.
However, several provinces, including Quang Tri, Quang Ngai, Khanh Hoa, Lam Dong and Dong Nai, have yet to finish site clearance for rest stops along the North-South Expressway.
Other provinces fell behind on land handovers and failed to meet the PM’s directive that construction output increase by at least 10 per cent each month. Intelligent transport systems and service areas are also progressing too slowly.
PM Chính directed ministries and localities to take immediate action. Provinces and cities like HCM City, Dong Nai, Lang Son, and Tuyen Quang must speed up site clearance and hand over all remaining land for 2025 projects by the end of September.
Construction units are required to mobilise manpower and equipment, working in three shifts with four crews each day to recover lost time.
Provinces including Nghe An, Quang Tri, and Cao Bang must finalise feasibility studies for new expressways this quarter, while HCM City and Lam Dong need to be ready to break ground on the HCM City-Moc Bai and Tan Phu-Bao Loc projects by December 19.
The Ministry of Construction must also accelerate paperwork to begin building the remaining tunnels on the North-South Expressway and ensure that more than 1,700km of coastal roads are in place by the end of the year.
The PM said that progress must not come at the expense of safety or quality. Contractors and investors are responsible for ensuring environmental standards and worker protection, he said, adding that no shortcuts or substandard materials will be accepted.
He also tasked agencies with preparing a list of projects for groundbreaking or inauguration ceremonies on December 19, marking the 79th National Resistance Day and welcoming the 14th National Party Congress.
Each ministry and locality is expected to contribute at least two major projects.
