BIG-TICKET INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS PROPOSED FOR MEKONG DELTA

Sixteen infrastructure projects have just been proposed for the Mekong Delta, heard a recent meeting held in Can Tho City to discuss ways to respond to climate change.

These include projects to build coastal roads, inter-regional roads, dikes and reservoirs, with total capital of VND94,300 billion. They were proposed by the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, and the Mekong Delta’s 13 provinces.

A major project in the list is a 415-kilometer coastal road passing through seven provinces of the delta — Tien Giang, Ben Tre, Tra Vinh, Soc Trang, Bac Lieu, Ca Mau and Kien Giang. Its estimated cost is nearly VND43,000 billion.

The other projects are a dike system along the Mang Thit River phase 2 in Vinh Long Province, the 36-kilometer National Highway 61C in Hau Giang Province, a road improvement in Dong Thap Province and a reservoir in An Giang Province. Their total cost is put at nearly VND15,000 billion.

Can Tho City, the economic center of the Mekong Delta, will invest nearly VND9,800 billion to expand a section of National Highway 61C passing through the city and roads linking O Mon, Thoi Lai and Giong Rieng districts with a combined length of 22.5 kilometers.

As for the regional planning, the Ministry of Transport proposed improving national highways 53, 62 and Nam Song Hau Road, which will require nearly VND7,160 billion.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development planned to invest in three projects with an estimated cost of VND6,620 billion, including improving a canal system to channel water from the Hau River to Ca Mau Peninsula, upgrading an inter-provincial canal system lying between the Tien River and the Hau River and the irrigation system connecting Bao Dinh-Go Cong-Tan Tru in Long An Province.

An amount of over US$2.8 billion, equivalent to VND66,282 billion for the projects, will be borrowed from foreign sources, while the reciprocal capital will be VND28,000 billion.

The investment policies for the projects are expected to be approved this year.

Source: The Saigon Times