The northern belt road of Ha Long City was officially opened for traffic on October 18 in the northern province of Quang Ninh.

With total investment of nearly 500 billion VND (approximately 23.8 million USD) from the province's budget, the 13.9km route aims to ease traffic overload and improve safety in Ha Long City, which lies next to the World Heritage site of Ha Long Bay.

The road will also help minimise the negative impacts of exhaust and dust on the city environment and promote the area's socio-economic development.-VNA