Japan’s Pacific Consulting is set to finalise designs for the 8 trillion dong east-west highway, which includes a 2km long tunnel under the saigon river, in Ho Chi Minh City by the end of this year. Site clearance and the relocation of 6,000 households along the route, should be completed by the end of next year. The 23.7km long highway will connect Binh Chanh in the west and District 2 in the east and is due to be open to traffic in 2005. About 73% of the cost of the scheme is being provided by the Japan Bank for International Co-operation.
