Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - The Ministry of Transport(MoT) will complete the North-South high speed railway project'spre-feasibility study report and strive to start construction of two prioritysections before 2030.

The project's pre-feasibility study report will be submitted tothe National Assembly (NA) for approval, said the MoT’s leaders.

The North-South high speed railway has a double track scale, agauge of 1,435mm and length of about 1,545km, according to the NationalMaster Plan for 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050, and the Railway NetworkPlan.

The Politburo in February issued Conclusion No 49-KL/TW on Vietnam’srailway development orientation, which required concerned agencies to research,analyse and evaluate international experience to choose a modern constructioninvestment plan.

The plan must have a long-term vision, promote the country'sadvantages and potential, and be suitable for the country and the world'sdevelopment trends.

Implementing the Politburo’s conclusion, Prime Minister Pham MinhChinh founded a steering committee to carry out the North-South high speedrailway project.

The MoT, after collecting opinions from ministries and organisations,completed a plan for the project.

At a meeting on the project at the beginning of this month, DeputyPM Tran Hong Ha said that the project had great importance, contributing to thenation’s socio-economic development, industrialisation and modernisation.

Therefore, he said, the project needed interdisciplinaryconsensus, contribution and participation.

The Deputy PM directed the MoT to base on socio-economicdevelopment requirements and international experience to research, select andpropose a suitable plan.

The plan must ensure feasibility, safety, efficiency and beconsistent with global development trends.

He also asked the MoT to preside over and work with otherministries and enterprises to have appropriate mechanisms, including mechanismsfor calling for and using capital sources; for using land use revenues fromlocalities; for training and employing officers and engineers; for railwayindustry development; for public-private partnership investment attraction; andcooperation and technology transfer through foreign direct investment.

Because the project has a large scale, is technically andtechnologically complex, and has a long implementation period of over 10 years,Ha directed to clarify that the preliminary investment calculation was only aninitial estimate.

The accurate data must be updated in the next steps when eligible,avoiding misunderstandings in case the total project investment increasesduring the implementation./.