Hanoi (VNA) – The Government Office on September 30 issued a document detailing Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha’s conclusions drawn from a meeting regarding the North-South high-speed rail investment project.
In the document, the Deputy PM has directed the Ministry of Transport to compile and incorporate all feedback from the meeting to urgently finalise the feasibility study report.
Key points to be clarified include the basis for selecting a design speed of 350 km/h for the high-speed rail and justification for not opting for a design speed of 250 km/h, as well as additional arguments to support the necessity of constructing the entire line without phasing.
According to the official, passenger transport is the primary function, addressing dual-use requirements for national defence and security, with provisions for cargo transport as needed. Also necessary is an analysis of economic effectiveness based on macroeconomic indicators, along with a unique policy mechanism to attract investment and involve various stakeholders in specific project components.
Ha stressed that the development of the high-speed rail must ensure consistency, harmonisation, and independence to establish a comprehensive rail industry encompassing high-speed rail, urban rail, and national rail systems.
The Ministry of Construction has been tasked to review and propose a plan for the development of Vietnam's rail construction sector, identifying state-owned and private enterprises that could participate.
Regarding workforce development, the Deputy PM stressed the need for proactive planning. The Ministry of Education and Training, the Ministry of Transport, and the Vietnam Railways Corporation are set to develop a proposal for human resources development that utilises state funding and facilitates technology transfer in infrastructure development, machinery, manufacturing, and operational management.
The Deputy PM has also instructed the Ministry of Transport to clearly delineate responsibilities between central and local authorities based on their capabilities, and to come up with mechanisms to help both state-owned and private enterprises engage in research and development of mechanical and automation technology.
The ministry is expected to complete the feasibility report for submission to the Government by October 7 this year./.
