Four important transport projects, with total investment capital of nearly VND18 trillion ($7.5 billion), were inaugurated on December 24.

They include expansions to Dien Bien Airport, construction of the Tuyen Quang - Phu Tho and My Thuan - Can Tho expressway sections and My Thuan 2 Bridge.

Inauguration ceremonies were held via videoconference in northern Dien Bien and Phu Tho provinces and the Mekong Delta’s Vinh Long and Tien Giang provinces, with the presence of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.

The project to upgrade and expand Dien Bien Airport began in January 2022 and cost nearly VND1.5 trillion ($61 million), raising capacity to 500,000 passengers a year from 300,000 previously.

Connected to the Noi Bai (Hanoi) - Lao Cai Expressway, the Tuyen Quang - Phu Tho expressway section is 40.2 km long. The four-lane link has a speed limit of 120 kph, received total investment of VND3.75 trillion ($156 million), and saw construction begin in early 2021.

The My Thuan - Can Tho expressway section, in the Mekong Delta and part of the Eastern North-South Expressway, is almost 23 km long and has total investment capital of VND4.8 trillion ($200 million). In the first phase, it will have four lanes and a speed limit of 80 kph. Construction began in 2021 but was then delayed by Covid-19, slow site clearance, and a shortage of construction materials for leveling.

At 6.61 km, the My Thuan 2 Bridge spans the Tien River and links the two Mekong Delta provinces of Tien Giang and Vinh Long, and is the first cable-stayed bridge completely designed and built by Vietnamese engineers and workers. It received total investment of VND5 trillion ($208 million) and saw work begin in February 2020. It not only connects the Trung Luong - My Thuan and My Thuan - Can Tho expressway sections but also shortens the distance between Ho Chi Minh City and Can Tho city.

Speaking at the ceremony for Dien Bien Airport, Prime Minister Chinh stressed that the inauguration of the four projects marks a historic milestone.

He asked relevant ministries, agencies, and localities to exploit and use these projects effectively while continuing to complete associated facilities and ensure that displaced citizens have better or at least similar quality of life compared to their previous place of residence.