Lawmakers back investment policy for North-South high-speed railway project
Lawmakers on November 20 afternoon expressed their strong support for the investment policy for the North-South high-speed railway project, emphasising that it is time to go ahead rather than stepping back as this is a development trend of the country.
At the 15th National Assembly (NA)’s 8th session, deputy Ta Van Ha from central Quang Nam province said that the project is a breakthrough for Vietnam’s entry into a new era of development, laying stress on the harmonious development among different transport modes, including railways, aviation, waterways and roads.
Due attention must be paid to the selection of technologies and appropriate phasing during the construction of the North-South railway, he said, underscoring the significance of management to avoid cost overruns and future financial losses.
Meanwhile, deputy Nguyen Ngoc Son from northern Hai Duong province emphasised the need for careful consideration of project feasibility, particularly regarding land use planning, forest preservation, and station locations. He specifically called for strategic arrangement of passenger stations to maximise accessibility and usage.
Touching on the funding for the project, many lawmakers advocated using domestic capital and concessional foreign loans and limiting ODA borrowing.
On the same afternoon, the NA held a plenary meeting in the hall to hear reports on the draft law on amendments and supplements to a number of articles of the law on supervision activities of the NA and People's Councils.
