Vietnam’s first undersea tunnel to be built in Ha Long

Vietnam’s first undersea tunnel will cost almost VND9.8 trillion ($423.46. million), according to the government website. Province Chairman Nguyen Van Doc said at a meeting Thursday that the government had sought a feasibility report.

Construction of the 2.75-kilometer (1.7-mile) Cua Luc Tunnel is scheduled to start this year and finished in 2024. It will share the increasing traffic load with Bai Chay Bridge, now the only way across the strait that splits the town. 

To run from the Vuon Dao intersection to the Vinhomes Ben Doan urban area, it will be 4.75 meters (15.6 feet) high and the six-lane road inside will be built of reinforced concrete to withstand a magnitude 7.0 earthquake.

Provincial authorities have said in the past that a tunnel is needed to ensure safety and uninterrupted flow of economic and tourism activities even during heavy storms.

Quang Ninh, home to the UNESCO heritage site Ha Long Bay, received 12.2 million domestic and international tourists last year, up 24 percent from 2017, according to its tourism department.

Revenues from tourism were up 28 percent at VND24 trillion ($1.03 billion).