The office of Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) People’s Committee has just issued an announcement of Chairman Nguyen Thanh Phong’s conclusion on the city’s discussion with a number of Mekong Delta provinces in mid- June to develop an express railway between HCMC and Can Tho City.

Summary of the detailed planning of the HCMC-Can Tho express railway. Photo: H.Kim

According to this announcement, HCMC will coordinate with the provinces  of Long An, Tien Giang, Dong Thap and Vinh Long, Can Tho City, and some research organizations to reach a consensus on the planning and investment form of the HCMC- Can Tho express railway, then submit it and other documents to higher authorities for approval as soon as possible.

HCMC and these Mekong Delta provinces agreed with the proposal from the Southern Institute of Science and Technology and MorFund Financial Group (Canada) that there is a need to develop HCMC - Can Tho express railway to foster economic growth in the localities.

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Phong assigned the HCMC Department of Transport to work with its counterparts in Long An, Tien Giang, Dong Thap, Vinh Long, Can Tho, the South Transport Engineering Design Joint Stock Incorporated (TEDI SOUTH) and the Southern Institute of Science and Technology to do the planning for the project, before submitting it to the Ministry of Transport for approval.

Besides, the HCMC Department of Planning and Investment will take the lead and coordinate with its counterparts from Long An, Tien Giang, Dong Thap, Vinh Long, Can Tho, MorFund Financial Group, the Southern Institute of Science and Technology and HCMC Financial Investment Company (HFIC) to unanimously agree on the investment form of this project.
As planned, this express railway is 135.5 kilometers long and 1.435 meters wide. It is able to reach 200 km/h in passenger trains and 150 km/h in cargo trains. The railway will start at Tan Kien Station in HCMC’s Binh Chanh District and pass through Long An, Tien Giang, Vinh Long, before ending at Cai Rang Station in Can Tho City.
There will be 11 stations along the railway, surrounded by satellite cities which focus on clean industries and high-tech agriculture, with the aim to contribute to economic growth in the localities. In addition, there is a 700-hectare safe corridor along the railway. Total investment of this project is estimated at approximately  5 billion USD (112 trillion VND).
According to the Southern Institute of Science and Technology, HCMC-Can Tho express railway is constructed according to South Korean high-speed railway standard, meeting that of Vietnam. The railway will be built along the HCMC-My Thuan expressway.
The Southern Institute of Science and Technology invited Japanese and South Korean partners to raise capital for the project in the form of BOT. A number of partners from USA, South Korea, China and Canada have shown their interest, including MorFund Financial Group which proposed to invest in the form of PPP.
According to the Southern Institute of Science and Technology, building the HCMC-Can Tho express railway system is necessary, because this project is in line with the planning to 2020 and will affect division of labor and the shift in economic structure in the Mekong Delta.

Huynh Kim - Le Anh (Translated by Thai Thanh)