Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - The Ministry of Transport has set a target ofcompleting and putting into operation the eastern North-South expressway by2025, bringing the total length of highways in the north central-centralcoastal region from 193km to 1,390 km, said Transport Minister Nguyen Van Thang.

The ministry will also complete coastal roads.

According to Thang, in the period of 2005-20, capital from the central andlocal budgets, and other sources to invest in transport infrastructure in theregion reached about 246 trillion VND (10.5 billion USD).

As a result, the region's transport infrastructure system has changed markedlywith many important works being built and put into operation.

In terms of roads, the Ho Chi Minh Highway was put into operation whileNational Highway 1 was expanded and two projects of upgrading sections of LaSon-Hoa Lien and Da Nang-Quang Ngai on the North-South Expressway with a totallength of 193km were carried out.

Regarding railways, 1,462 km of existing railways were upgraded to ensureconnection of all localities in the region.

Meanwhile, in terms of maritime, the ministry invested into building nine firstclass seaports, four second class seaports and one third class seaport. Inlandwaterways are exploiting 11 routes with a total length of 670km, including thecoastal waterway.

Regarding aviation, this is the region with the largest density of airports inthe country, with five international airports and four domestic ones.

Along with the achieved results, the region's transport infrastructure systemstill has some shortcomings and inadequacies which have not met developmentneeds.

The intra- and inter-regional transport infrastructure connecting thehorizontal axis in the East-West direction is still limited. Railway connectionwith seaports has not been effective and some seaports and airports have notbeen exploited effectively, making it unable to promote its role as a hub fortrans-shipment and transit of goods for the Central Highlands region and theAssociate of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN).

The main reason is the lack of linkages and synchronous planning, andinvestment plans for infrastructure development among localities in the regionstill lack in synchronisation do not pay attention to intra- and inter-regionalconnectivity.

In addition, investment resources have not met requirements, there are not yetstrong enough mechanisms and policies to mobilise transport infrastructureinvestment, and the system of institutions and policies is still inadequate.

Thoroughly grasping the viewpoints and goals of the 13th Party Congress andResolution No.26-NQ/TW with the goal that by 2030, the north central - centralcoastal region will reach a synchronous and modern socio-economicinfrastructure, the Ministry of Transport will continue to closely coordinatewith ministries, branches and localities to focus all resources on developingthe region's transport infrastructure, Thang said.

The ministry determines to complete and put into operation the easternNorth-South expressway by 2025, increasing the total length of highways in theregion from 193km to 1,390 km as well as complete coastal roads and renovateand upgrade existing national highways in the medium-term public investmentportfolio.

By 2030, the sector will complete the horizontal axis expressways with largetraffic such as Vinh - Thanh Thuy, Khanh Hoa – Buon Ma Thuot, call forinvestment in expressways of Cam Lo - Lao Bao, Da Nang – Thach My – Ngoc Hoi – BoY and Quy Nhon - Pleiku, and upgrade key national highways connecting East andWest, especially those connecting with major seaports.

The current North-South railway will be further upgraded, along withpreparations for investment to start the priority sections of the North-Southhigh-speed railway, a railway connecting the region with the Central Highlands regionand international border gates of Vung Ang – Mu Gia and My Thuy - Lao Bao, andthe restoration of the tourism railway line of Thap Cham – Da Lat.

The ministry will focus on improving the efficiency of coastal waterwaytransport corridors and waterways connecting to seaports as well as buildingnew airports at Phan Thiet and Quang Tri and develop national, regional andinternational-standard logistics systems connecting with seaports, airports,international border gates and key economic corridors./.