Longest North-South Expressway mountain tunnel takes shape

By Bui Toan July 4, 2023 | 12:01 am PT

Workers gather in the middle of the Nui Vung Tunnel after digging it from opposite ends, July 3, 2023. Photo by Deo Ca Group

Workers have finished digging a tunnel from opposite ends through a mountain in central Vietnam to build a section of the North-South Expressway.

Nui Vung Tunnel runs 2.2 km long in Ninh Thuan Province and belongs to the Cam Lam – Vinh Hao Expressway.

The tunnel is the longest of all six tunnels running along the North-South Expressway. Implemented under the build-operate-transfer format, it costs VND1.6 trillion (US$67.9 million).

The tunnel’s first phase will be 14 m wide with two lanes for vehicles to move at the maximum speed of 80 kph.

The investor, Cam Lam – Vinh Hao Expressway JSC under Deo Ca Group, said the tunnel was built using Austrian technology, which allows construction to be flexible in different types of geological conditions and ensures safety.

Cam Lam – Vinh Hao stretches 78.5 km long through three provinces Khanh Hoa, Ninh Thuan and Binh Thuan.

Costing almost VND9 trillion and invested by Deo Ca Group and 194 Construction Investment Corporation, both based in Ho Chi Minh City, the project will complete the expressway system between HCMC and Nha Trang City.

There will be five expressways between the two cities: HCMC – Long Thanh – Dau Giay, Dau Giay – Phan Thiet, Vinh Hao – Phan Thiet, Cam Lam – Vinh Hoa, and Nha Trang – Cam Lam.

Once they are all put into use, the time to travel from HCMC to Nha Trang by road is expected to be shortened significantly from the current seven hours.

At the moment, only Cam Lam – Vinh Hao is under construction, with completion targeted for April next year.