Hanoi leaders vow to start building new bridges on May 19

Work on the Tu Lien Bridge, one of three new bridges over the Red River, will begin in mid-May, said Hanoi People's Committee Chairman Tran Sy Thanh at a meeting on February 27.

The meeting on February 27 on the construction of three new bridges over the Red River . Photo: The Hanoi Times

The city will soon break ground for the construction of Tran Hung Dao Bridge after work starts on Tu Lien Bridge, while the Prime Minister's approval for the Ngoc Hoi Bridge project is still pending, he added.

In the bridge development plans approved at the end of December 2024, work is scheduled to start on September 30, 2025.

"The construction of the three new bridges is an important step for the city to achieve a growth target of at least 8% by 2025," Thanh said.

After the meeting, the Office of the Hanoi People's Committee will issue an official notice with clear tasks for each department and agency, he said.

The Department of Construction will revise the detailed plan, with the expectation that work on the Tu Lien Bridge project will start without delay on May 19, the chairman said.

Nguyen Phi Thuong, Director of Hanoi's Department of Transportation, who is also the head of the Project Management Board, suggested that the municipal people's committee appoint the department as an investor to expedite the next steps. In addition, the project preparation, evaluation, and approval be carried out simultaneously.

According to Thuong, the municipal People's Committee should be advised by the Hanoi Department of Finance to seek permission from higher authorities to allow direct contractor selection for consultancy packages that are above the standard limit.

He urged the districts to clear at least 50% of the site when construction begins on May 19, and to complete all clearance by the second quarter of 2026.

On February 25, the Hanoi People's Council approved the investment policy for the three bridges, with a total estimated budget of nearly VND48 trillion (US$1.9 billion).

The Tu Lien Bridge project is expected to cost VND20.2 trillion ($790 million) and will be carried out from 2025 to 2027. During the same period, Hanoi will also build the Tran Hung Dao Bridge with an estimated budget of VND16 trillion ($626 million).

Regarding Ngoc Hoi Bridge project which connects Hanoi and the neighboring province of Hung Yen, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha asked the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Ministry of Finance to work with Hanoi on the project. It is expected to cost VND11.8 trillion ($462 million) and will be implemented from 2025 to 2030.