vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn  

Truong Son Construction Corporation crews build the Ho Chi Minh Highway. —VNA/VNS Photo Hoai Nam

HCM Highway to run through Cuc Phuong National Park

HA NOI — The Prime Minister approved plans to build the Ho Chi Minh Highway through Cuc Phuong National Park last Monday.

Phan Van Khai said the transport sector should minimise the impact of the project on the surrounding environment during construction.

Ha Dinh Can, director of the highway project’s management board said the committee responsible for reducing the project’s impact on the environment visited the park many times before agreeing to build 3.2km of viaduct.

He said about 6.7km of trees would be planted along the highway and the wall system to prevent noise.

The new road would not affect the drainage of Buoi River, which flows through the park.

Six viaducts would be built over the park’s drainage channels, he said.

Can said 80 per cent of work on the Ho Chi Minh Highway’s first phase was complete. The road should open by 2005.

He said the 1,300km highway would be the second to run across the country.

The project would improve a 962km stretch of the Ho Chi Minh Trail along the Truong Son Mountains. The road should share the traffic burden with the trans-Viet Nam Highway 1A, said Can. —VNS