Step up efforts to build extra 1,000 km of national expressways by end-2025: Prime Minister

All stakeholders must exert greater efforts to realize the goal of completing 3,000 kilometers of expressways by the end of next year, from 2,000 kilometers in operation now, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said Friday.

The goal is set at 5,000 kilometers of expressway by end-2030.

Presiding over the 12th meeting of the State Steering Committee for National Key Transport Projects in Hanoi, which he heads, the PM noted that the goals had been set by the 13th National Party Congress in January 2021.

"It is of great importance because transport infrastructure in general, and highways, airports and ports in particular will create new development spaces as well as new urban areas, services and industries, thus increasing land value, reducing logistics costs, improving competitiveness of the economy, businesses and goods," he stressed.

He noted that Vietnam has completed 674 km of expressways since the beginning of the current cabinet’s tenure (July 2021), raising the total length of highways nationwide to over 2,000 kilometers. However, the work still faced difficulties related to administrative procedures, land clearance and construction materials, he added.

Chinh asked meeting participants to frankly point out difficulties and obstacles, propose solutions and clarify responsibilities of each level, each sector, and each agency.

He also underlined the need to prevent negative phenomena in project implementation, particularly in procurement and bidding activities; and urged ministries, sectors and localities to continue efforts to ensure progress and quality of projects with the engagement of businesses.

The steering committee was established in July 2022 to concretize guidelines and goals for transport infrastructure development set in the 13th Party Congress Resolution. The committee is currently monitoring 40 of 92 sub-projects spanning road, railway and aviation sectors across 48 provinces and centrally-run cities.