France to fund Vietnam in upgrading busiest railway route
HANOI - The French Ministry of Economy has approved in principle to offer an aid of 20-30 million euros (24-36 million US dollars) to Vietnam to upgrade its busiest railway route linking Hanoi capital city to northern Lao Cai province. The money will be spent on equipment or services imported from France, Vietnam News Agency reported Sunday.
Now, the 284 kilometer-long route, which are seriously degrading after more than 100 years of using, serves 20-22 trains every day, many of them are filled with local and Chinese tourists and traders visiting Sapa resort in Lao Cai or Hekou border gate market in China' Yunnan province.
Earlier, the Vietnam Railway Corporation planned to invest nearly 2.1 trillion Vietnamese dong (VND) (some 132.9 million dollars) in upgrading the route.
The project will improve the railway, bridge, drains and curves of the train tracks to increase the maximum speed for passenger trains and cargo ones to 120 kilometers and 80 kilometers per hour, respectively.
The project is expected to start in 2006 and conclude in 2008.
Xinhuanet - September 25, 2005.
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