Quang Ngai province is becoming a better-connected locality thanks to its planning orientation

Quang Ngai aims to achieve an average regional GDP of 7.25-8.25 per cent a year in the period of 2025-2030. While this can be considered a goal worthy of the development conditions of this locality, to maintain a stable growth rate and aim for an average income per capita of over $7,700, Quang Ngai leaders say it needs a more strategic vision – in particular, focusing on infrastructure investment for economic development.

The province’s new planning orientation lays focus on its efforts to perfect the transportation system and comprehensively invest in hard and soft infrastructure in the coming time.

The plan identifies the key tasks, which is to invest in developing synchronous and modern infrastructure both economically and socially, creating motivation for development. The province will also mobilise and effectively use resources to promote industrial development, and allocate resources obtained from industry to support the development of fields more suitable to future development trends.

In addition, the locality will develop high-quality human resources with a focus on scientific staff. It will improve the quality of human resources, apply science and technology and digital transformation in all areas of the economy, and encourage innovation.

In particular, urban development is the pillar associated with industry and the marine economy to create a driving force for development during the planning period ahead.

Infrastructure development

When it comes to traffic infrastructure, Nguyen Phong, director of Quang Ngai Department of Transport, said that the locality will implement national road network planning with a long-term vision.

“The province will boost the study and investment in the construction of Quang Ngai-Kon Tum Expressway when added to the national planning, ensuring conditions for resource allocation and current regulations, and in order to increase connectivity between Quang Ngai province and Kon Tum, and the Central Highlands region in general,” Phong said.

According to Phong, Quang Ngai will build a new urban railway line in Dung Quat EZ to connect with the nearby province of Quang Nam. In particular, Quang Ngai is coordinating with relevant agencies to research and develop airports and airports at the potential location of Ly Son island district when ensuring the prescribed conditions.

The plan also provides detailed orientations for infrastructure development of Dung Quat EZ and industrial parks, as well as developing social infrastructure such as healthcare and education.

Nguyen Van Trong, director of Quang Ngai Department of Planning and Investment, said the province will strive for an urbanisation rate of over 50 per cent.

“To achieve goals such as these, Quang Ngai is expected to mobilise total development investment capital of about VND410 trillion ($17.3 billion),” Trong said.

To concretise the tasks set out in the development plan towards 2030, Quang Ngai province has proposed investment in a series of important traffic works.

Construction of Hoang Sa-Doc Soi road, worth $148 million and scheduled to be nearly 27 km long, will begin imminently, directly connecting the centre of Quang Ngai city with Dung Quat EZ. The road will contribute to completing the province’s road traffic network, connecting quickly and conveniently from Chu Lai airport and Dung Quat EZ to Quang Ngai city and southern localities.

It will also serve as a driving force to attract investment and effectively exploit economic development potential for the eastern region of Binh Son and Son Tinh districts. Reduced vehicle traffic on National Highway 1 will also occur, especially during peak hours.

New roads and expressways will ease connections with other provinces, and even other countries

Major transport investments

In addition, in the coming period, the province will invest in Tra Khuc 1 bridge at a cost of $89 million, spanning Tra Khuc river and connecting the north and south banks of Quang Ngai city.

Besides that, the province strives to invest in upgrading and expanding 12 existing provincial roads and building a number of new provincial roads.

Meanwhile, the Quang Ngai-Kon Tum expressway is a project that both provinces are keen on, in order to open up trade connection opportunities for the entire Central Highlands and the central coast. According to the proposal of Quang Ngai province to central ministries, the expressway would be 135km long, with the first point intersecting with the North-South Expressway in the east, in Duc Pho town. The end point intersects with the west section of the North-South Expressway in Kon Tum city.

Initial estimates say total investment of the project could be as much as $1.87 billion. It is hoped that the Quang Ngai-Mang Den section will be built before 2030.