Dong Dang - Tra Linh expressway: “Having discussion to go forward, not to step back”

The Expressway of Dong Dang - Tra Linh has been the long-lasting wish of the people and leaders of various terms of Cao Bang Province

Having discussion to go forward, not to stay back

On August 21st, 2020, a few hours before the meeting between province leaders of Cao Bang and Ca Mau, the Guiding Board of the Project Dong Dang - Tra Linh held the 9th meeting, Lai Xuan Mon, Party Secretary of Cao Bang Province, Head of the Guiding Board started: “Today we have discussions to go forward, not to stay back”.

The spirit of “going forward” has been mentioned in previous meeting by Mon, not only after it had been approved by the Prime Minister.

Due to geographical difficulties, the provincial infrastructure is not well developed. There are only two routes connecting to Cao Bang: the National Road 3 and the National Road 4A. Therefore, the Expressway of Dong Dang - Tra Linh will ensure national defense and untight the knot for provincial socio - economic development. The secretary said: “The Expressway of Dong Dang - Tra Linh has been the long-lasting wish of the people and leaders of various terms of Cao Bang Province”.

Although it was approved, completion of the project with the total investment capital of over VND 20 thousand billion is still a great challenge to a poor province at Cao Bang. Therefore, the spirit of “going forward” by the secretary of Cao Bang showed the great determination from leaders and people of the province.

“We have been persistent for the past 2 years. Sometimes, it seemed that we failed. But with the determination, we have initial success when the Prime Minister approved the investment policy of the project on August 10th, 2020”.

To speed up the preparation work of the project, the People’s Committee of Cao Bang Province and Deo Ca Group- the investor suggested to invest in the projecthad the minutes to implement research on terrain, to carry out geological servey, to make feasibility research, and to compile darmacation file. Currently, the feasibility report has been finished. And the province, together with the group, invited a partner Leonhardt, Andrä und Partner to carry out landscape design works for a number of works en route.

At the meeting, Lai Xuan Mon asked sectors, cities and districts to point out difficulties to troubleshoot and to found working teams for the start of the project of Dong Dang - Tra Linh Expressway at the beginning at October, 2020.

Huu Nghi - Chi Lang - Tan Thanh - Dong Dang - Tra Linh

To carry out the project of Dong Dang - Tra Linh, it is necessary to connect Huu Ngh - Chi Lang to Tan Thanh Gateway. How is the condition of the connecting road?

On December 7th, 2018, the Government Office released the announcement no.451/TB-VPCP on Prime Minister’s conclusion at the working session with Cao Bang Province: the State Bank of Vietnam was assigned to direct the Vietinbank to troubleshoot and together with the BIDV to prepeare credit for the project of Huu Nghi- Chi Lang Expressway (including 17km connecting gateways of Tan Thanh and Coc Nam) as a basis to develop the Expressway of Dong Dang - Tra Linh.

Therefore, it is necessary to invest in the connecting road between Tan Thanh - Coc Nam and Huu Nghi- Chi Lang- an important chain in connecting transport network among gateways as a basis to build the Expressway of Dong Dang - Tra Linh.

On the afternoon of June 22nd, 2020, in the working session with leaders of Lang Son Province, Minister of the Ministry of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung agreed with a solution suggested by the People’s Committee of Lang Son Province: to implement the project to Huu Nghi International Gateway with the total investment of over VND 7.600bn. The Ministry of Planning and Investment is consulting the Government to put the project in the list of national key projects in the public mid-term investment plan of the period of 2020 - 2025 to assist the province to implement the project.

“This is the transport work that must be done and must be done soon not only for Lang Son but for the national transport, serving the whole economy, not serving Lang Son only,” emphasized Minister.

Relating to the project’s dividing investment, the Minister suggested leaders of Lang Son Province choosing the solution that the provincial budget, investors and the Government pay the least but it is possible to reach the target of building 43km of expressway from Chi Lang to Huu Nghi Gateway to connect to Tan Thanh.

The People’s Committee of Lang Son Province has had research for ideas from ministries, sectors and modify a dividing investment solution as suggested by the Ministry of Transport (besides the two solutions suggested by Lang Son Province).