Vietnam moves to set cost standards for Lao Cai‑Hanoi‑Hai Phong railway

The Ministry of Construction is consulting ministries, local authorities and industry bodies on a draft decree that would establish construction cost standards for the Lao Cai‑Hanoi‑Hai Phong electrified railway, a national‑priority project approved by the National Assembly. Because existing Vietnamese standards do not cover many of the high‑technology components, the draft proposes to adapt benchmarks from similar railway projects abroad, aiming to provide a transparent basis for budgeting, cost management and investment oversight.

Prime Minister Lê Minh Hưng has ordered the Government Inspectorate, together with the Ministries of Agriculture and Environment, Public Security and Construction, to carry out a special inspection of construction‑material supplies in several provinces next week. The inspection will address material shortages, enforce compliance with regulations and may lead to the revocation of permits for violations. It is part of a broader push to accelerate key infrastructure works—including the Long Thành International Airport, the north‑south high‑speed rail feasibility study and major highway projects—to meet the government’s 2026 targets.