A project to expand the nation’s backbone Highway 1A was launched in Tuy Phuoc district, central Binh Dinh province on March 31.

Work on the expanded section running through Binh Dinh and Phu Yen provinces with the length of 40.66 km is to start in June, 2013.

It will cost over 2 trillion VND (100 million USD).

At the ground-breaking ceremony, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc said Highway 1A expansion will benefit many people, therefore, relevant ministries, departments and agencies need to quickly deal with site clearance and resettlement to put the work into operation as scheduled.

Earlier on March 26, work to expand the National Highway 1A’s 34-km section connecting Nghi Son in nearby Thanh Hoa province and Cau Giat in Nghe An was also launched.

Another 40-km section in the central province of Quang Nam also commenced on March 24.

Considered the most important highway in Vietnam, National Highway No. 1A runs through half of the provinces and cities in the country, linking major cities of Hanoi, Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City and Can Tho.-VNA