Capital will be reallocated from delayed transport projects

Funds from slow-progressing and hard-to-disburse transport projects will be shifted to those that can be implemented more quickly, following the directive of Prime Minister Le Minh Hung.

At a meeting on key transport projects on the afternoon of 22/9, Prime Minister Le Minh Hung stated that project progress is registered by investors, ministries, and local authorities, requiring these entities to fulfill their commitments and fully disburse allocated capital. Projects unable to meet their planned completion schedules will have their funds reallocated.

The Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Construction have been tasked with identifying projects capable of effectively receiving and utilizing the reallocated capital. The central budget will also provide advances to local authorities that demonstrate good disbursement performance but are currently facing capital shortages.

According to the Ministry of Finance, over 255 trillion VND was allocated for key transport projects in 2026. By the end of August, disbursed capital reached 95.44 trillion VND, representing 38% of the total.

Many major projects have disbursed less than 30% of their allocated funds, including Ring Road 3 Ho Chi Minh City, the Ho Chi Minh City - Moc Bai expressway, Can Tho - Hau Giang expressway, Hau Giang - Ca Mau expressway, and Khanh Hoa - Buon Ma Thuot expressway. Among these, 12 new projects have disbursed less than 5%.

Prime Minister Le Minh Hung chaired a meeting on the implementation and disbursement progress of key transport projects on the afternoon of 22/9. Photo: VGP

Prime Minister Le Minh Hung chaired a meeting on the implementation and disbursement progress of key transport projects on the afternoon of 22/9. Photo: VGP

Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Tuc and Minister of Construction Tran Hong Minh will visit delayed projects to identify the causes and determine appropriate solutions. The Prime Minister emphasized that project timelines should not be postponed or extended without objective reasons, and that construction quality must not be sacrificed to meet deadlines.

For the North-South high-speed railway, local authorities must accelerate the construction of resettlement areas to facilitate site clearance. The Ministry of Construction will finalize technical standards, select international consultants to prepare a feasibility study report, and engage an independent unit for verification.

The Lao Cai - Ha Noi - Hai Phong railway project is required to complete its feasibility study report soon, aiming for the main line's groundbreaking in early 2027. Agreements concerning the construction of cross-border bridges and capital loans are expected to be signed in 2026.

In Ha Noi, the two urban railway lines, Tran Hung Dao - Thuong Dinh and Nam Thang Long - Noi Bai, must adhere to technical standards. The Hoa Lac - Hoa Binh expressway expansion project needs to finalize its adjusted investment policy promptly to enable disbursement.

Regarding Long Thanh Airport phase one, the Airports Corporation of Vietnam is urged to concentrate resources and clearly define each item that must be completed this year.