PM Demands Integrated Transport System in Mekong Delta

PM Demands Integrated Transport System in Mekong Delta

Prime Minister Phan Van Khai yesterday made conclusion of a two-day conference on development plan for an integrated transport system to serve regional socio-economic development and ensure national defense and security in the period of 2005-2010.

According to Prime Minister, zoning work on the regional transport system is a long-term task and should be implemented in line with the socio-economic development level of the region to stimulate its growth and avoid wrongdoing and wastage.

The Mekong Delta region boasts the country’s largest farm produce exports but it lacks any large-scale port, resulting in high transport costs and traffic congestion as goods are transported through Ho Chi Minh City. Priority should be give to the development of Can Tho Port to make it state-of-the-art, Khai said.

Prime Minister also assigned the Ministry of Transport to study solutions for developing ship lanes through the Dinh An and Trieu estuaries.

For land routes, Khai asked the ministry to study a plan to extend a section of Ho Chi Minh highway from Chon Thanh in the southern province of Binh Phuoc to Vam Cong.

The ministry was required to upgrade Tra Noc in Can Tho city and Phu Quoc in Kien Giang province to international airports.

The master plan for regional communications development also includes building four main roads linking the Mekong Delta region with southeastern provinces and two expressways to Ho Chi Minh City and Dong Nai province.

The top leader noted that railway development was a need for the region and the ministry should study building a high-speed railway within a suitable period.

Local authorities should focus on production and trade and find ways to attract investment and increase the scale of investment, he said.

Moreover, the region must pay attention to other necessary issues such as job creation, healthcare and education. In the near future, the Government will invest to develop a large-scale healthcare center in the city of Can Tho.

To realise the 2005-2010 master plan, Mekong Delta region needs VND60,000 billion (US$3.8 billion), of which, the region can mobilise about VND40 trillion (US$2.55 billion) and the remainder is facing to difficulties.

The Mekong Delta region, which comprises 13 provinces on an area of 39,712 sq.km with population of 17 million people, has a great transport potential, especially waterway transport.

The region has 700-km coastline, 28,000-km canals and 40,932-km roads.

• T.V