This proposal was discussed at a provincial People's Committee meeting on 25/5 concerning the adjustment of the north-south high-speed railway project's route through the Hoa Lai tower area.

The Hoa Lai tower, a special national relic, in Thuan Bac commune. *Photo: Minh Khue*

The Hoa Lai tower complex, built in the 8th century, occupies an area of nearly 5,000 square meters next to National Highway 1 in Thuan Bac commune (formerly Ninh Thuan). It is considered one of the most ancient and beautiful architectural works of Champa, preserving unique cultural and architectural values of the ancient Champa kingdom.

The complex was designated a special national relic in 2016 and serves as a significant site for tourists and scholars.

According to the Khanh Hoa Department of Construction, a pre-feasibility review indicated that the high-speed railway section through the province, featuring a viaduct, would directly impact the tower, several churches, and cemeteries. As the site is a special national relic, the entire area is inviolable under the Cultural Heritage Law.

Following the report, Nguyen Long Bien, permanent vice chairman of the provincial People's Committee, requested the Department of Construction to urgently coordinate with relevant units to conduct site surveys, review potential issues, and propose that the Ministry of Construction recalculate the route to avoid infringing upon the relic.

The north-south high-speed railway project section through Khanh Hoa spans approximately 191 kilometers. It is planned to include three stations: two passenger stations at Dien Khanh and Thap Cham, and one cargo station at Ninh Hoa, intended to connect with the Van Phong Economic Zone.

To facilitate site clearance, the province plans to arrange 31 resettlement areas with a total estimated cost exceeding 1,740 billion VND. Of these, 13 are existing areas, while the remainder will be newly constructed or expanded.

Bui Toan