Construction starts on the Northern Mountain Provinces Transport Connectivity Project
IN BRIEF
The highly-anticipated ground-breaking ceremony for the Northern Mountain Provinces Transport Connectivity Project (NMPTCP) was held on 27 December 2021 in Lai Chau. The ceremony was attended by the Deputy Prime Minister of Vietnam, H.E. Phạm Bình Minh, representatives of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), and MOT officials.
The commencement of construction is a very important milestone for a project that has been dealing with many challenges, especially those caused by COVID-19, and restrictions on operations causing significant delays in progress. The NMPTCP is one of Vietnam’s priority transport infrastructure projects as it will ensure a stronger and more reliable connection between the provinces of Lai Châu, Lào Cai, and Yên Bái to the Nội Bài – Lào Cai Expressway. The project aims to reduce costs in goods and passenger transport, minimise traffic congestion and accidents, enhance links between provinces and economic zones, promote economic development, and alleviate poverty.
Aus4Transport is funding and assisting with the Detailed Engineering Design and Documentation of 11 construction packages. It is also implementing four additional activities through Stream B that are complementary to the Project: Design and Implementation of an Axle Load Control Program (ALCP), Design and Implementation of a Road Safety Awareness Campaign (RSAC), the Preparation of a Replacement Afforestation Plan and Public Awareness Campaign on Forest Protection (RAP-PACOFP), and the Design and Implementation of a HIV/AIDS and Human Trafficking Awareness Program (HHTAP), ensuring that all crucial engineering, non-engineering, and social safeguards components are considered and included in the design of the Project.
KNOW MORE…
Since 2019, Aus4Transport has been collaborating with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Ministry of Transport (MOT) on the USD245 million project that will improve transport connectivity in three disadvantaged provinces of Northwest Vietnam. The Northern Mountain Provinces Transport Connectivity Project (NMPTCP) will upgrade two national highways and two provincial roads of approximately 199 km length, better connecting the provinces of Lai Chau, Lao Cai and Yen Bai to the Greater Mekong Subregion economic corridor. The project will have a direct impact on local livelihoods, providing new opportunities for trade and better access to education and healthcare facilities.
The road sections to be upgraded have been divided into a total of 11 construction packages. The Detailed Engineering Designs have been completed for all packages, with 9 packages approved and 2 undergoing final review. Construction commenced in December 2021 on one of the 2 priority packages, and the other is in the final stages of bid evaluation and approval for award. Three more packages are currently being tendered with contract award expected in the coming weeks. The NMPTCP is an important project for the economic recovery of Vietnam following the global pandemic and all parties are committed to working together to finalise the design approvals and get construction started. With this mutual commitment in mind, the parties are expecting to see the civil works commence for all packages in the first half of this year.
