Illustrative photo (Source: VNA) Can Tho (VNA) – Transport Minister Truong Quang Nghia has urged the Mekong Delta City of Can Tho to restructure local transportation, focusing on the waterway network to fully tap regional potential.
He made the statement at a working session with local authorities during his tour to the southern provinces and cities on May 26.
The Minister suggested the locality invest in waterways to facilitate rice shipments, easing traffic on roads.
He also called on the city to develop a logistics system and an urban and rural transport network both on land and water.
According to Chairman of the Can Tho People’s Committee Dao Anh Dung, traffic networks have been upgraded, particularly in rural areas to meet new-style rural area criteria.
Over the past ten years, numerous projects have been carried out in the city, aiming at turning it into a regional transport hub connections, such as the Can Tho bridge, Can Tho port, the Can Tho international airport, Dung said.
He also called for the Ministry’s investment in other urgent projects, including upgrades to several highway sections on National Road No. 91, and the Hau River Southern Highway.
The southwest region boasts more than 14,826 km of inland waterways. But up to 109 out of 288 overpasses do not fulfil technical requirements and are in need of urgent upgrade.
As many as 15 waterway transport co-operatives and 387 enterprises with 1,302 vessels transport about 348.4 million tonnes of cargo and 1.9 billion passenger-km every year.-VNA
