Construction of 3 national highways worth over $3.6 bln to begin June 2023

The Government has decided on a series of specific mechanisms to deploy 3 highways Khanh Hoa - Buon Ma Thuot, Bien Hoa - Vung Tau, and Chau Doc - Can Tho - Soc Trang phase 1 with a total investment of VND84,463 billion ($3.6 billion).

Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh has signed and promulgated 3 consecutive Resolutions 89, 90, and 91 implementing the Resolution of the National Assembly and implementing fiscal and monetary policies supporting socio-economic recovery and development program - 43/2022/QH15.

The resolutions ensure compliance with the provisions of law, progress, and quality of works, strict management, and economical and efficient use of capital, publicity, and transparency in 3 national key highway projects.

Ministry of Transport and localities with highway projects are to apply a series of specific mechanisms in the implementation process. Chairman of the People's Committees of the provinces and the Minister of Transport are assigned by the Prime Minister to exercise the authority of the investment decider. Land recovery, compensation, support, and resettlement in the form of contractor appointments are to be organized for component projects.

The Minister of Transport, the Chairman of the People's Committees of the provinces, and the competent person shall organize land recovery and restitution, compensation, support, and resettlement in the form of contractor appointments in 2022 and 2023 for consultancy, construction, and installation bidding packages related to component projects, as well as bidding packages for technical infrastructure relocation, site clearance and resettlement.

The Government allows the Ministry of Transport and the People's Committees of the provinces to simultaneously carry out a number of work related to compensation, support, resettlement, and identification of construction solid waste dumps during the construction phase.

Riverbed sand and gravel have been licensed in the Mekong Delta, Dong Nai, and Ba Ria - Vung Tau provinces. Construction contractors are allowed to exploit construction material mines for the project without having to carry out some licensing procedures.

The Government's Resolution also sets out specific milestones for the progress of ministries, branches, and localities that need to be implemented. For a component project with the Ministry of Transport as the managing agency, the organization shall prepare an environmental impact assessment report for evaluation and approval by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment. With the Bien Hoa-Vung Tau project, this work must be completed before September 20, 2022. Khanh Hoa - Buon Ma Thuot highway to be completed between November 12, 2022

As for the ground issue, the Government proposes to organize the simultaneous implementation of a number of jobs related to compensation, support, resettlement, and identification of construction solid waste dumps according to regulations; strive to hand over 70% of the ground area of construction and installation bidding packages to start before June 30, 2023, and basically hand over the remaining area before December 31, 2023.

Authorities have set deadlines for the organization, verification, appraisal, and approval of projects, with Bien Hoa-Vung Tau project to be completed before November 20, 2022, and carrying out subsequent works to ensure the start of the project before June 30, 2023. Work must be completed on Khanh Hoa - Buon Ma Thuot and Chau Doc - Can Tho - Soc Trang projects before January 20, 2022.

The resolutions also specify the progress of tasks such as organizing the setting up of compensation, support, and resettlement policy frameworks for component projects; organizing the preparation, approval, and handover of design documents for site clearance piles of component projects to localities  under the responsibility of units such as the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the Ministry of National Defense, Ministry of Construction, Ministry of Planning and Investment.

The Khanh Hoa - Buon Ma Thuot expressway project phase 1 has a total length of about 117.5 km and the preliminary total investment is VND21,935 billion. The scale of the complete phase is 4 lanes for high-speed cars, phase 1 is for 4 diverging lanes, and the width of the roadbed is 17m. The schedule requires the completion of some sections of the route with high traffic volume by 2025, the entire route in 2026, and the synchronous operation of the whole project in 2027.

Bien Hoa - Vung Tau expressway project phase 1 has a total length of 53.7 km. The scale of the completion phase is 6-8 lanes for high-speed cars, and the phase 1 scale is 4-6 lanes. The preliminary total investment is VND17,837 billion. The required progress is basically completed in 2025 and synchronously put into operation the whole project in 2026.

Chau Doc - Can Tho - Soc Trang expressway construction investment project, phase 1 (through the provinces/cities of Can tho, An Giang, Hau Giang, and Soc Trang), with a total length of about 188.2 km, the preliminary total investment is VND44,691 billion.

Once completed, the project will help break the "unique" position of National Highway 51, at the same time solving the overload of vehicle traffic and reducing accidents. The scale of the complete phase is 6 lanes for high-speed cars, phase one has 4 lanes for diverging vehicles, and the width of the roadbed is 17m.

The project is divided into 4 component projects. The schedule requires the completion of some sections of the route with high traffic volume by 2025, the completion of the entire route in 2026, and the completion and synchronous operation of the whole project in 2027.