North-South Expressway’s component projects needs accelerating

A section of the North-South Expressway is under construction. — VNA/VnExpress News Photo Việt Hùng

HÀ NỘI — Three component-projects of the North-South Expressway are behind schedule, according to the Ministry of Transport.

The three projects of Cam Lộ-La Sơn, Vĩnh Hảo-Phan Thiết and Diễn Châu-Bãi Vọt are 0.54 per cent, 8.2 per cent and 6.93 per cent behind schedule, respectively.

Previously, the project management boards directed the enterprises and contractors to re-plan the detailed schedules to fully mobilise the equipment under the contracts to push up the construction progress of the North-South Expressway.

According to the Department of Construction Management and Traffic Works Quality, so far 10 North-South expressway projects in the East for 2017-2020 are under construction, reaching about 29.7 per cent of the contract value.

Specifically, seven component projects are on schedule, including Mai Sơn-National Highway No 45; National Highway No 45-Nghi Sơn; Nghi Sơn-Diễn Châu; Nha Trang-Cam Lâm; Cam Lâm-Vĩnh Hảo; and Phan Thiết-Dầu Giây.

Last month, the Cao Bồ-Mai Sơn expressway section, which was completed and put into operation, is one of 11 expressway projects in 2017-2020.

The Mỹ Thuận Bridge 2 project was three months behind the initial schedule but met the adjusted plan. So far, the output has reached 48.4 per cent of the total value of the contracts.

The delay was due to rainy weather causing difficulties for the construction, the lack of backfill materials, and an improper construction plan by the contractor.

Last month, at a meeting on reviewing the implementation of the North-South Expressway project for 2017-2020, Deputy Prime Minister Lê Văn Thành requested investors and contractors to complete and put into use 361km of expressway sections for the 2017-2020 plan by the end this year.

Specifically, the expressway sections required to be completed in 2022, include Mai Sơn – National Highway 45 with a length of 63.37km; Cam Lộ  – La Sơn with 98.3km, and Vĩnh Hảo – Dầu Giây with 199.8km.

The Deputy Prime Minister also requested units to urgently accelerate the construction progress to complete 149km of roads in 2023, including sections of National Highway 45-Nghi Sơn with 43.2km, Nghi Sơn-Diễn Châu (50km), Nha Trang-Cam Lâm (49.1km) and Mỹ Thuận Bridge 2 (6.6km).

The North-South Expressway project in 2017-2020 is 654km long, divided into 11 component projects, including eight public investment projects and three investment projects in the form of public-private partnerships.

The 11 component projects going through 13 provinces include the Nam Định, Ninh Bình, Thanh Hóa, Nghệ An, Hà Tĩnh, Quảng Trị, Thừa Thiên-Huế, Khánh Hòa, Ninh Thuận, Bình Thuận, Đồng Nai, Tiền Giang and Vĩnh Long

The project has a total investment of about VNĐ100 trillion (US$4.36 billion), in which the cost of compensation for site clearance of the project is about VNĐ12.4 trillion. — VnExpress News