5 days ago
PM orders Vietnam's coastal roads be finished three months early to boost growth and connectivity
A section of a coastal road in Quang Tri Province runs through white sand dunes. — VNA/VNS
HANOI: Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính has ordered provinces and cities along Vietnam's coast to fast-track their coastal road projects, completing them at least three months ahead of schedule.
In a directive issued this week, the PM told ministries and local authorities to treat the early completion of the coastal highway network as a key political task.
The aim, he said, is to unlock the full economic, tourism and security potential of the country's 3,260km coastline – stretching from Quang Ninh in the north to An Giang in the south.
The coastal road system is planned to run about 2,838km, combining sections of national highways with local roads to create a continuous transport corridor.
So far, 1,397km have been completed and opened to traffic, 633km are under construction, and 808km are either awaiting investment or still in the planning stage.
Although the Government's 2025 target of more than 1,000km of completed coastal roads has already been met, the PM noted that the network remains incomplete and fragmented, limiting its ability to connect regions and boost development.
To speed things up, the PM directed cities and provinces, including HCM City, Hai Phong, Danang, Hue and Thanh Hoa, to review their construction schedules, bring in extra machinery and crews, and work 'three shifts, four crews' through weekends and holidays.
"All projects must be completed at least three months earlier than planned. Those scheduled to finish in 2025 must be completed no later than Dec 19," he said.
Local governments are also being told to prioritise funding for the 2026–2030 period and to make full use of other funding sources to invest in and upgrade sections of the route.
Preparations, especially for ODA-funded projects, should be accelerated so the entire network from Quang Ninh to An Giang can be completed before 2030.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment has been tasked with helping localities resolve issues such as construction material supply and waste disposal, while the Ministry of Finance will work with provinces and cities to balance funding sources and speed up preparations for future ODA projects. — Vietnam News/ANN
