Work must start on Long Thanh Airport by 2019: Deputy PM

He made the requirement after conducting a field survey at the location of Long Thanh International Airport in the southern province of Dong Nai and meeting with provincial leaders on mechanisms to speed up the airport’s progress.
 
Long Thanh Airport is one of the country’s large projects, which the National Assembly has passed construction policy, he said.
 
Because citizens’ travel demand has been increasing, the project needs to be implemented early to reduce pressure for Tan Son Nhat International Airport, train and coach services.

 
Reporting to the deputy PM, the Dong Nai province People’s Committee said that the project will affect the life and income of 4,730 households with a total of 15,000 members, and operation of many organizations, businesses and religious establishments.
 
Hence, building of specific mechanisms to stabilize citizens’ lives in resettlement areas and speed up the project’s progress are pressing requirement, it said.
 
If the airport is implemented in accordance with ordinary procedures, the work will start as late as in 2021. This means Long Thanh Airport will not be built on scheduled.
 
The committee proposed the government to allow it to separate compensation and resettlement items into subprojects and implement these independently, draw up land withdrawal procedures and build two resettlement areas to speed up the site clearance progress of the entire project.
 
The government should have particular policies on compensation and resettlement for the project, it suggested.
 
Besides, the provincial people’s committee suggested the government to supplement funds for the project’s site clearance into the mid and long term capital plan in the phase of 2016-2020.
 
In short term, Dong Nai asks for an advance to build two resettlement areas and clear the site for the first phase of the project.   

The Ministry of Transport and Vietnam Airlines Corporation, who has been assigned to preside over implementation of the airport, also proposed the government to clear many difficulties in the airport’s design, prefeasibility report and capital to meet the NA requirement to open the first phase of the project for service by 2025.
 
Concluding the meeting, the deputy PM stressed the importance of Long Thanh International Airport to the province, the southern region and the economy.
 
The national important project’s goal is to meet the 4F standard of the International Civil Aviation Organization and strive to become an international passenger and cargo transit center in the region.
 
Therefore, it is necessary to have specific mechanisms and suitable way of implementation to reduce preparations time for the project and soon open the work to traffic, he affirmed.
 
Mr. Dung tasked relevant ministries, agencies and the province to closely work together to soon submit specific mechanisms to the Prime Minister and the permanent government. Big matters will be reported to the Politburo and the NA to make decisions.