Prime Minister: Construction of Lao Cai - Hanoi - Hai Phong railway project to begin on December 19

This morning (October 23), at the Government Headquarters, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh , Head of the Steering Committee for key projects and national important projects in the railway sector, chaired the 4th meeting of the Steering Committee. The meeting was held online to the provinces and cities where the railway route passes through.

Reporting at the meeting, the representative of the Ministry of Construction said that the Lao Cai - Hanoi - Hai Phong railway project is divided into 2 component projects. Up to now, component project 1 - investing in infrastructure connecting stations on the route and the station square has completed the preparation and approval of the Feasibility Study Report, and handed over the records of site clearance at 5 stations to the localities.

For component project 2 - investment in railway construction, the investor has selected and implemented 4 domestic consulting packages; the remaining package for examining the feasibility study report will be implemented after the Chinese side completes it for handover to Vietnam.

Overview of the 4th meeting of the Steering Committee.

For this component project 2, the site clearance and relocation of power works from 110KV and above are also being actively implemented by localities and Vietnam Electricity Group in terms of measurement and counting to serve the work of compensation, support and resettlement.

For the North-South high-speed railway project, up to now, 15/15 localities have completed the Steering Committee for site clearance and reviewed resettlement needs. The railway project management board is organizing the selection of consultants to support project preparation.

At the same time, the Ministry of Construction is also finalizing criteria for selecting investors and drafting a Resolution to submit to the National Assembly on specific mechanisms and policies applicable to the project.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Head of the Steering Committee for key works and important national projects in the railway sector, chaired the 4th meeting of the Steering Committee.

Speaking at the meeting, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized the role of railways and said that railway development will make an important contribution to solving traffic infrastructure bottlenecks: " Promote the Lao Cai - Hanoi - Hai Phong railway project to start phase 1 on December 19, 2025. Review and carry out site clearance for the North-South high-speed railway. Local authorities must be one step ahead in site clearance. According to the National Assembly's Resolution, local authorities must carry out site clearance. Site clearance is one step ahead, so investors and state investment will have an advantage to proactively implement ."

Regarding the Hanoi - Lang Son and Hai Phong - Mong Cai railway lines, the unit has been selected to implement the technical support project to establish the planning of standard gauge railway lines, which is China Railway No. 4 Survey and Design Institute Group Limited Company. It is expected that they will conduct a site survey at the end of October.

Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City are also implementing urban railway projects, in which Hanoi is implementing investment procedures for two routes: route 3 (Hanoi station - Hoang Mai section) and route 5 (Van Cao - Ngoc Khanh - Lang - Hoa Lac).

Regarding line 2 (Nam Thang Long - Tran Hung Dao section), which has just started construction on October 9, 2025, the Hanoi People's Committee is organizing appraisal and approval of project adjustments according to the TOD model.

The Hanoi People's Committee proposed to allow the application of simplified procedures and processes in negotiating and signing the Exchange of Notes and the new Loan Agreement for the Project and applying STEP loan conditions to contractors (Japan).

The meeting was held online to provinces and cities where the railway passes through.

Regarding this content, Minister of Finance Nguyen Van Thang stated: " The Ministry of Finance has worked very hard with Japan on the urban railway line No. 2 (Nam Thang Long - Tran Hung Dao section). We request the Japanese side to consider simplifying procedures to speed up progress. We request the sponsor to speed up and simplify procedures to proceed with signing and arranging ODA capital ."

Currently, Ho Chi Minh City is implementing 7 urban railway lines and is also adjusting the Ben Thanh - Tham Luong Line 2 Project, striving to start construction at the end of 2025. Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee proposed to supplement the ODA capital allocation plan in 2025 for the Ben Thanh - Tham Luong project with a capital of 30 billion VND.

Ready, urgently disburse investment capital

Concluding the meeting, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh stated that at the third meeting, the Prime Minister assigned 39 tasks to ministries, branches and localities, and to date, 16 tasks have been completed.

In particular, the Ministry of Construction has submitted and advised the Government to issue a Resolution implementing Resolution No. 188 of the 15th National Assembly on a special mechanism for developing the urban railway network system; approved the Project on training and developing human resources for Vietnam's railways; completed the development of common standards and regulations for the high-speed railway project on the North-South axis; and successfully implemented the First Session of the Vietnam-China Joint Cooperation Committee.

The Ministry of Science and Technology has submitted to the Government a Decree guiding the implementation of railway science and technology development and completed the assessment of railway standards.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade has submitted the Railway Industry Development Project; the Ministry of Finance has instructed localities on the division of compensation, support and resettlement contents of the project; guided procedures for funding land clearance for projects; Vietnam Electricity Group has developed a plan and organized the relocation of 110kV power lines and above. Localities have started construction and started the project resettlement area on August 19, 2025.

The Prime Minister emphasized that the Government is ready to allocate capital for the Lao Cai - Hanoi - Hai Phong railway project and the high-speed railway project on the North - South axis, saving 5% of the state budget to invest in these two railway lines, and requested ministries and local branches to be ready and promptly disburse investment capital.

Recognizing the efforts of ministries, branches and localities in performing assigned tasks, the Prime Minister also said that there are still some important tasks that have not been completed and requested the Ministry of Finance to speed up the negotiation and signing of loan agreements for the Lao Cai - Hanoi - Hai Phong Railway Project; propose issuing government bonds to mobilize investment capital for the Lao Cai - Hanoi - Hai Phong Railway; Vietnam Electricity Group to ensure supply for railway projects; and the Ministry of Construction to preside over working with the Chinese side on the technology transfer plan for the Lao Cai - Hanoi - Hai Phong Railway Project.

In the coming time, the Prime Minister requested that the implementation of projects must ensure quality, technique, progress, efficiency and feasibility. Agencies continue to mobilize maximum resources to implement projects, and need to have appropriate mechanisms, policies and incentives.

The Head of Government requires everyone to uphold the highest sense of responsibility, promote self-reliance, self-improvement, innovate methods, ways of thinking, and ways of doing to complete assigned tasks. During the implementation process, it is necessary to uphold the spirit of "clear thinking, high determination, great efforts, drastic and effective actions, and immediately report to competent authorities if necessary to handle and resolve work".

In the spirit of “3 yes” and “2 no”, the Prime Minister said that “3 yes” means having the interests of the State, the interests of the people, the interests of businesses and “2 no” means no corruption, negativity, no loss or waste of people’s assets, efforts and money. Continue to promote the spirit of solidarity, strengthen coordination between agencies in the political system; seek the support and participation of the people, especially in compensation, support and resettlement of projects.

The Prime Minister assigned the People's Committees of provinces and cities where railway projects pass through to focus on directing and speeding up the progress of site clearance, relocation of technical infrastructure, and construction of resettlement areas.

Regarding the Lao Cai - Hanoi - Hai Phong railway project, the Prime Minister requested to urgently prepare all necessary conditions to ensure the commencement of Project Component 1 on December 19, 2025. The spirit is to ensure the lives of people who give up land for the project to have a life equal to or better than their old place of residence; urge the Chinese side to speed up the progress of preparing the Feasibility Study Report for Project Component 2 and cooperation contents.

Regarding the North-South high-speed railway project, the Prime Minister requested to urgently complete procedures and announce 37 Vietnamese standards on high-speed railways in October 2025. Complete the report on investment forms, criteria for selecting investors and specific mechanisms and policies for the project. Localities and Vietnam Electricity Group promote site clearance and relocation of technical infrastructure according to plan.

Regarding urban railway projects, the Prime Minister requested to urgently complete the dossier to submit to the Prime Minister for decision on mobilizing ODA capital and preferential loans for Project Line 3 (Hanoi Station - Hoang Mai). Speed up Line 2, Line 3 (Cau Giay - Hanoi Station) and procedures for adjusting the project according to the TOD model. Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee focuses on completing procedures to adjust Project Line 2 (Ben Thanh - Tham Luong), striving to start construction by the end of 2025.

Relevant ministries, branches and localities continue to review and focus on resolving the slow-progressing tasks assigned at the Third Session, at the same time resolutely and effectively complete the assigned tasks, promptly remove all difficulties and obstacles; periodically report to the Prime Minister - Head of the Steering Committee.

Lai Hoa (VOV) (Source: VOV Online Newspaper)

Link: https://vov.vn/chinh-tri/thu-tuong-khoi-cong-du-an-duong-sat-lao-cai-ha-noi-hai-phong-vao-ngay-1912-post1240113.vov?fbclid=IwY2xjawNmz3 dleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFzZGJxcHlxamxBaFh6MFd3AR6SAFP--M3oDBxBj-8KaEhPnKVwaO7BXOm6IG2h2n3SaufYr0VcPWtd0tA4Rg_aem_amxPfbaWdXEndVUqsEA0KQ

Source: https://vtcnews.vn/thu-tuong-khoi-cong-du-an-duong-sat-lao-cai-ha-noi-hai-phong-vao-ngay-19-12-ar972806.html