New direction from Government leaders on upgrading 3 Southern National Highways

The project to upgrade and renovate three national highways (53, 62, 91B) in the Mekong Delta is being proposed by the Ministry of Transport to use World Bank (WB) loans.

A section of National Highway 62 through Long An.

The Government Office has just sent an official dispatch to the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Ministry of Transport conveying the direction of Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang on the investment policy of the Project to upgrade and renovate 3 National Highways (53, 62, 91B) in the Mekong Delta, borrowing capital from the World Bank.

Accordingly, the Deputy Prime Minister assigned the Ministry of Planning and Investment to review and clarify its opinions on the report on acceptance and explanation of the Ministry of Transport regarding the opinions in the Report on appraisal results of the Project's pre-feasibility study report, in which attention is paid to the explanation on capital sources and capital balancing ability and other related issues. On that basis, the Ministry of Planning and Investment clearly stated its opinions on whether the above-mentioned dossier submitted by the Ministry of Transport is qualified or not qualified for the Prime Minister to consider and decide on the investment policy of the Project in accordance with the provisions of Article 18 of the Law on Public Investment 2019 and other relevant legal provisions. In case the conditions for deciding on the investment policy in accordance with the provisions of law are not met, the reasons shall be clearly stated; report to the Prime Minister on April 15, 2024.

Previously, at the end of March 2024, the Ministry of Transport issued Document No. 3089/TTr - BGTVT requesting the Prime Minister to consider approving the investment policy for the Project to upgrade and renovate 3 national highways (53, 62, 91B) in the Mekong Delta, using WB loans.

This report was issued by the Ministry of Transport after receiving the appraisal opinions of the Ministry of Planning and Investment on the Pre-Feasibility Study Report of the Project to upgrade and renovate 3 national highways in the Mekong Delta.

For National Highway 53, the sections included in the Project include: Nga Tu Bridge (expected from Km7+820 to Km8+730); Long Ho - Ba Si section, starting point at Km11+295, expected end point at Km56+180.

The investment length is about 41 km, in Vinh Long and Tra Vinh provinces, upgraded and renovated to meet the standards of a grade III plain road, with a design speed of 80 km/h, a cross-section of the roadbed width of 12 m, a road surface width of 11 m, including 2 lanes for motor vehicles 2x3.5 m wide, 2 lanes for rudimentary vehicles 2x2 m wide and a sidewalk width of 2x0.50 m.

For National Highway 62, the Project scope has the starting point at Km4+200 (intersection with Ho Chi Minh City - Trung Luong Expressway), the expected end point at Km74, with an investment length of about 69km located entirely in Long An province.

The route has been upgraded and renovated to meet the standards of a grade III plain road, with a design speed of 80km/h, a cross-section of the roadbed width of 12m, a road surface width of 11m, including 2 lanes for motor vehicles 2x3.50m wide, 2 lanes for rudimentary vehicles 2x2m wide and a sidewalk 2x0.50m wide; upgrading and renovating the road surface for some sections through urban areas has ensured the road surface width.

For National Highway 91B, the Project scope has the expected starting point at Km2+604 (Can Tho Bridge 5-way intersection), the expected ending point at Km143+480.

The investment length is about 141 km, located in Can Tho city and the provinces of Hau Giang, Soc Trang and Bac Lieu. The road has been upgraded and renovated to meet the standards of a grade III plain road, with a design speed of 80 km/h, a cross-section of the roadbed width of 12 m, a road surface width of 11 m, including 2 lanes for motor vehicles 2x3.50 m wide, 2 lanes for rudimentary vehicles 2x2 m wide and a sidewalk 2x0.50 m wide; upgrading and renovating the road surface for some sections through urban areas has ensured the road surface width.

The project implementation period is 4 years from the time the competent authority allocates capital for the project (expected from 2024 - 2027). The preliminary total investment of the project is about 9,297.12 billion VND, equivalent to about 389.39 million USD, of which the investment cost to upgrade National Highway 53 is 2,601 billion VND; National Highway 62 is 3,241.8 billion VND and National Highway 91B is 3,454 billion VND.

The project will borrow capital from the World Bank of about 267.44 million USD (equivalent to about 6,385.41 billion VND) to be used for the following items: construction and equipment costs before tax; construction supervision consulting costs and some consulting services according to the World Bank's policy before tax; contingency costs for the above items.

Counterpart capital worth about VND 2,911.71 billion (equivalent to about USD 121.95 million) is used for the following items: project management costs, remaining construction investment consultancy, other costs; site clearance costs; taxes, fees; contingency costs for the above items.

Source