There are limits to what could be done during preparation for the highway upgrade project which itself will likely experience some difficulty during the early years of commercial operation. Several aspects of the ensuing project, which justify some concern at the time of TA loan implementation, relate to (i) the importance of financial sustainability of the expressway and of VEC more generally—for maintenance of the road, management of operations, and fulfillment of debt-service obligations (PCR para. 41); (ii) the extent to which environmental impact assessment prepared under the TA loan has in practice proven satisfactory; and (iii) whether the plans for mitigation of social side effects and for development of new livelihoods have proven adequate and feasible.
Greater Mekong Subregion: Kunming–Haiphong Transport Corridor—Noi Bai–Lao Cai Highway Technical Assistance Project