Hanoi earmarks 300 trillion VND for transport infrastructure

Hanoi (VNA) - Hanoi will invest nearly 300 trillion VND to improve its transport infrastructure between now and 2020, according to a plan approved by the Prime Minister on July 9.

The investment is expected to help ease traffic congestions in the city and make it more beautiful to welcome the 1,000 th anniversary of its founding in 2010.

Under the Transport Development Plan up to 2020, 138 trillion VND of the total fund will be used to build five railway routes by 2020, with the one linking the Noi Bai International Airport with the city centre and Thanh Xuan district being the backbone.

117 trillion VND will be poured into the upgrading of existing national highways into 4-6 lane roads, building more expressways and completing the construction of its second belt road prior to 2010.

The plan also earmarks 13.8 trillion VND for airports and 13.7 trillion VND for waterways.

The capital city will zone off at least 13,800 ha or 15 percent of its total land area for transport infrastructure, 11,500 ha of which will be reserved for roads and 1,100 ha for railways.

Public transport is expected to meet between 35-45 percent of the city's travel demand by 2020, according to the plan.