The Bien Hoa bridge that collapsed earlier this month will be rebuilt by July, thanks to a directive from Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.
According to Thanh Nien, Dung has instructed the Vietnam Railway Corporation to design and construct a new Ghenh Bridge as soon as possible, approving a VND299 billion (US$ 13.4 million) proposal for the structure.
The funding for the project will come from Vietnam's state budget and include not only a reconstruction of the two bridge spans which fell into the Dong Nai River on March 20 but also an upgrade on the road which runs across the bridge.
Work is set to begin in early April and reach completion by July 17.
This is a ray of hope for Saigon's train travelers, as Deputy Minister of Transport Nguyen Hong Truong told reporters last week that rail services would be affected by the bridge collapse for as long as five months.
Currently, all train passengers bound for the southern hub must disembark in Bien Hoa and take a bus into the city, while those leaving Saigon are required to hop on a bus out of town before connecting with the rest of the country's North-South line.
[Photo via Thanh Nien]
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