Mekong Delta provinces urged to provide sand for expressway

The Government Office said in a statement Wednesday that the three provinces need to provide the sand soon to ensure the progress for the “most important expressway of the Mekong Delta.”

The expressway stretches 156 km to link Can Tho City, the delta’s economic center, with the southernmost tip of the country, Ca Mau Province, passing through Vinh Long, Hau Giang, Soc Trang, and Bac Lieu provinces, with an aim to boost connectivity in Vietnam’s agriculture hub.

Work started on the project on the first day of this year but so far, due to a lack of sand, all of its sections have fallen behind schedule.

Construction of the expressway requires more than 18 million cubic meters of sand, including 9.1 million for this year alone.

The provinces of An Giang, Dong Thap and Vinh Long have enough sources of sand to provide for the project, according to the Ministry of Transport surveys.

Built by the state budget, the project costs VND27.2 trillion (US$1.16 billion) for its first phase, which is set to be completed in 2026.

The Mekong Delta is home to Can Tho and 12 provinces with over 17 million people. The region is one of Vietnam’s most important economic hubs, and contributes 17.7% of GDP.

The government last March released a master plan for the delta’s development this decade, which envisages 830 km of expressways and 4,000 km of national highways by 2030.

It says the delta will become “a sustainable, dynamic and highly efficient agricultural economic center of the country, region and world.”