Vietnam on Saturday introduced plans to construct a $67-billion (€63-billion) high-speed railway from the northern capital, Hanoi, to Ho Chi Minh City within the south.
The Vietnamese authorities mentioned it hopes the much-needed increase to infrastructure can drive progress and lift Vietnam’s fame amongst overseas buyers.
What we all know in regards to the plan
“The nationwide meeting voted to approve… a decision on funding insurance policies for the high-speed railway undertaking on the North-South axis,” mentioned a press release on the Vietnamese parliament’s web site.
The railway is deliberate to stretch greater than 1,500 kilometers (930 miles) from the capital within the north to the nation’s enterprise hub, previously generally known as Saigon, within the south.
Construction is predicted to start out in 2027, with Vietnam hoping that the primary trains will function by 2035. However, the nation has been dogged by delays on earlier infrastructure initiatives.
Due to the troublesome terrain, 60% of the route will run over bridges. Another 10% will run via tunnels, and solely 30% is deliberate to be at floor stage. Financing for the undertaking continues to be unclear.
The route is predicted to cross via 20 provinces and cities, with 23 passenger stations and 5 freight stations alongside the best way. State media mentioned the trains would transport each individuals and items and in addition service protection wants.
Need for north-south hall
The undertaking would cut back the present journey time by rail from 30 hours to round 5.
Deputy Minister of Transport Nguyen Danh Huy mentioned research had highlighted a necessity for quicker choices on the north-south hall.
“This undertaking is pivotal for restructuring transport shares and serves as a cornerstone for Vietnam’s leap into a brand new period of progress,” he mentioned.
Vietnam’s transport infrastructure is taken into account comparatively poor, with a street community struggling to satisfy demand and an underdeveloped rail system.
rc/sms (AP, AFP, dpa)
