Work to start on road link to Dien Bien Phuin next two years
It could be another two years before authorities start building a road from Luang Prabang province to the Vietnamese border at Dien Bien Phu province despite the funding commitment by Vietnam. A senior official in charge of the proposed project at the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, who asked not to be named, told Vientiane Times on Monday that the next step would be a detailed survey to identify any potential social and environmental impacts. “Although the Vietnamese government has committed to support construction of the road, there are still several steps to go through including the project design and bidding process,” he said. “I think it might take about two years for construction to get underway. Some sections of the road will be completely new so it will require a lot of work.” The 110-km road is expected to cost about US$87 million. It will run from the Meuangngoy junction in Ngoy district to the Vietnamese border via Phonthong district.
