At the Lao Cai – Vinh Yen 500kV transmission line site, the Prime Minister encouraged engineers and workers to take advantage of favourable weather to speed up construction, while also ensuring the health and living conditions of workers in the hot weather. He instructed the Ministry of National Defense and Military Zone 2 to assist with logistics, including building shelters, supplying food and water, and helping with cable installation.

Right on site, he ordered the establishment of a forward command unit to coordinate forces, aiming to complete the project before August 19, 2025.

The Lao Cai – Vinh Yen 500kV transmission line is a nationally important project, approximately 229.5 km long, passing through 31 communes in Lao Cai and Phú Thọ provinces, with a total investment of over VND7.41 trillion. The project broke ground on March 16, 2025.

The Prime Minister then inspected the construction progress of the new Phong Chau Bridge over the Red River on National Highway 32, connecting Phung Nguyen and Van Xuan communes, replacing the old bridge that collapsed during Typhoon Yagi in September 2024.

The new bridge is 383 meters long, with over 110 meters of approach roads on both sides, and has a total investment of over VND635 billion sourced from the central budget. Implemented under an emergency order, the project has completed more than 75% of its workload, and is expected to be completed and opened to traffic in early October 2025. The Prime Minister praised the dedication of engineers and workers and asked them to ensure both progress and quality opf the project.

In the morning, the Prime Minister also surveyed the alignment of the Lao Cai – Hanoi – Hai Phong railway line passing through Phu Thọ.

The railway will be 419 km long, with a total investment of over VND203 trillion (US$8.37 billion), scheduled to start in December 2025 and be completed by 2030 at the latest. The section through Phu Tho is more than 99 km long, passing through 20 communes and wards, requiring the acquisition of 621 hectares of land and the relocation of over 1,800 households.

The Prime Minister stressed the importance of land acquisition, requested the province to prepare a dedicated plan, and begin clearance work on August 19. He also directed the planning of stations, logistics hubs, inland ports, urban areas, and connecting transport routes to maximise the project’s benefits.

In the afternoon, the Prime Minister reviewed a proposal for a 54 km road connecting Hoa Binh ward (former Hoa Binh province) to Viet Tri ward. He noted that the route would open new development space along the Da River, especially as the three provinces of Hoa Binh, Phu Tho, and Vinh Phuc have now been merged into the new Phu Tho province.

Approving the project in principle, the Prime Minister assigned the Ministry of Construction to plan the route to expressway standards, connect it to the Hoa Binh – Moc Chau Expressway, and work with the province to prepare the project within one year. Funding will be arranged through public-private partnerships combined with the state budget. The Phu Tho provincial administration will serve as the project’s investor.

PM inspects disaster recovery efforts in flood-hit Dien Bien province

VOV.VN - Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on August 3 made a field trip to Na Son and Tia Dinh communes, and Hang Pu Xi village in Xa Dung commune of Dien Bien province to direct disaster recovery efforts in the wake of the recent flashfloods and landslides.