North-South High-Speed Railway Project Split into 17 Independent Projects

North-South High-Speed Railway Project Split into 17 Independent Projects

The Government has authorized the division of the North-South high-speed railway project into 17 independent projects, while granting expanded authority to investment decision-makers to accelerate progress.

According to Resolution 98 issued on April 6, the scope for compensation, support, and resettlement is divided into 15 site clearance projects managed by 15 provinces and cities as investors. Additionally, one project for relocating electricity infrastructure will be handled by Vietnam Electricity (EVN), with an expected completion in the fourth quarter of 2028.

The largest independent project is the construction of the high-speed railway line, with the investment decision overseen by the Ministry of Construction, aiming for basic completion by 2035. The Government allows investment decision-makers to further split these into component projects or independent sub-projects, tailored to the scale and specific characteristics of each section.

Investment decision-makers are exempt from the investment policy approval procedure. Instead, they can directly prepare, appraise, and decide on investments, while concurrently deploying resettlement areas based on preliminary designs from the pre-feasibility study report.

Regarding site clearance, compensation, support, resettlement, and the relocation of technical infrastructure will commence once the investor hands over the documentation and identifies field boundary markers for the local authorities.

High-speed KTX train in South Korea. Photo: Asia Trains

The Government also permits the use of direct appointment or limited bidding for selecting contractors for goods, consultancy services, construction, and contracts such as EPC (Engineering-Procurement-Construction), EC (Engineering-Construction), EP (Engineering-Procurement), and turnkey projects.

The Ministry of Construction has been assigned to coordinate with ministries, agencies, and localities to direct design consultants to select the straightest possible routes, ensuring technical specifications and suitability for topographical, geological, and hydrological conditions to minimize adjustments after site clearance.

The Ministry stated that consulting units are finalizing bidding plans and invitation dossiers for survey packages and the preparation of the pre-feasibility study report. The selection of contractors for the feasibility study is expected to take place in the second quarter.

The North-South high-speed railway spans 1,541 km from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City. It is designed as a dual-track line with a 1,435 mm gauge and a speed of 350 km/h, featuring 23 passenger stations and 5 freight stations. Its primary focus is passenger transport, while meeting freight requirements when necessary.

The total preliminary investment is approximately 1,713,540 billion VND (equivalent to 67.34 billion USD), funded through public investment for the 2025-2035 period. Many localities have already begun land recovery and site clearance, preparing for commencement in December 2026.

Source: vnexpress.net