Major transport projects expected to spur growth of southwest region

The 23-km My Thuan-Can Tho Expressway will be completed this year (Photo: VNA)

Le Quyet Tien, Director of the Construction Investment Management under the Ministry of Transport, said that works to be completed in 2023 include My Thuan-Can Tho Expressway; My Thuan 2 bridge, National Highway 1’s bypass through Ca Mau city; the project to upgrade the channel for large ships to enter the Hau River (phase 2); and the project to upgrade the Cho Gao canal (phase 2).

Meanwhile, the second phase of the North - South Expressway project’s Can Tho - Hau Giang - Ca Mau section is also projected to finish in 2025.

Trinh Truong Hai, Director in charge of the My Thuan 2 bridge project, said that it is an important part of the eastern section of the North-South Expressway in the first phase, which has a total investment of over 5 trillion VND (210.57 million USD). This is the largest cable-stayed bridge project completely designed and built by Vietnamese contractors.

As scheduled, the project will be completed in December of this year.

Meanwhile, the National Highway 1’s bypass through Ca Mau city in the same name province is likely to be completed in the third quarter of 2023.

At the same time, the project to upgrade the channel for large ships to enter the Hau River (phase 2), which has an investment of about 2.59 trillion VND (109.07 million USD), will complete in 2023, enabling the entrance of up to 20,000-tonne vessels, allowing the transport of 21-22 million tonnes of goods per year, contributing to promoting the maritime economy in the Southwest region.

The project to upgrade the Cho Gao canal (phase 2) will complete in August, two months earlier than the schedule.

Nguyen Van Thi, Director of the My Thuan Management Board said that new expressway projects, including the 111km Can Tho-Ca Mau Expressway project, started on January 1, 2023, is on good progress and expected to complete in 2025.

Economists projected that completing the infrastructure ensures connectivity between the southwest economic region and Ho Chi Minh City, forming a conduit to help the southern economy to develop.

The major projects will help transport in the Mekong Delta region, facilitating the movement of goods, and creating space and impetus for the development of a promising region./.

VNA