Time limit for inspection due to blasts causing cracks and subsidence of houses on the North-South Expressway

Many houses were affected

The North-South Expressway construction investment component project, Dien Chau - Bai Vot section, 49.3km long (44.4km through Nghe An and 4.9km through Ha Tinh), is one of three North-South Expressway component projects in the East implemented under the public-private partnership (PPP) method. The project has a total investment of VND 11,157 billion with 5 construction packages, started in May 2021, and is scheduled to be completed in May 2024.

In this component project there are sub-projects.Than Vu tunnel project, package XL03, passing through Xuan Duong hill. Because right at the entrance to Than Vu tunnel, passing through Xuan Duong hill, there is a rocky mountain area, forcing construction units to use explosives to lower the roadbed height. Since the beginning of 2023, the explosives have been carried out by the construction unit, Cienco4 Group Joint Stock Company and the Central Explosives branch. However, because at the foot of Xuan Duong hill, next to the North-South highway, more than 60m from the explosives blasting location, there are many households in Hamlet 2, Dien Phu commune (Dien Chau), so when explosives are used, construction with vibrating rollers has had negative effects on housing projects. Therefore, people have requested several times to stop explosives blasting to assess the effects and adjust construction methods.

At the end of October 2023, Nghe An Newspaper also recorded the situation of people protesting against the blasting of mines affecting their houses. The local government has also organized many meetings between the relevant parties to agree on a plan to resolve the rights of the people, creating consensus to ensure the project is implemented on schedule.

Recently, we continued to be present in Hamlet 2, Dien Phu Commune to record the plan to resolve the people's rights and the progress of the blasting to lower the height at Xuan Duong Hill. It is known that 5/6 households that previously opposed the blasting agreed to the plan to allow the unit to continue construction and wait until the blasting project is completed (expected around March 31, 2024), then re-assessment will be organized. After that, based on the appraisal results, the damage will be calculated and the project enterprise will be requested to pay compensation. The remaining household, who agreed with the compensation plan prepared by the appraisal unit of the project enterprise, agreed to sign the plan and receive compensation.

Ms. Le Thi Chung, one of the five households that have not yet received compensation and have waited until the blasting project is completed before agreeing to an assessment to calculate the damage, said: Her family lives close to the blasting area, when the construction unit carried out the blasting, it caused strong vibrations that broke pillars and collapsed ceilings. After that, the construction unit proposed a compensation plan in two installments, the first installment was 16 million VND; the second installment was 11 million VND, but her family did not agree. After many meetings, they agreed to the plan to wait until the blasting is completed before assessing and paying compensation in one installment.

Reduce the amount of explosion to avoid affecting houses

Regarding the blasting and lowering of the roadbed height at Km438+500 - Km438+681.2 in Hamlet 2, Dien Phu Commune, Mr. Le Manh Hien - Vice Chairman of Dien Chau District People's Committee said: As soon as the construction unit carried out the blasting, the local government took note of the people's feedback and organized many meetings between the parties to resolve difficulties and problems, so as not to affect the progress of the project. On January 29, 2024, at the meeting between the local government and the project enterprise, Project Management Board 6 - Ministry of Transport, construction units, and 6 related households.

“Right at the meeting, one household agreed with the compensation plan established by the project enterprise's appraisal unit, while the other five households will wait until after the blasting is completed (expected to be March 31, 2024), to conduct an appraisal to assess the damage,” said Mr. Hien.

According to Mr. Hien, the inspection and determination of the extent of damage will only be carried out after the blasting phase is over and will be conducted by the Nghe An Construction Inspection Center, under the Department of Construction. The cost of organizing the inspection and compensation for damage will be paid by the project enterprise, Phuc Thanh Hung Company Limited, in accordance with the provisions of law.

In addition, at the working session on January 29, 2024, the People's Committee of Dien Chau district also requested households to have solutions to ensure absolute safety of people and property.At the same time, create the most favorable conditions for the project to be completed on schedule and ensure safety during construction. Do not cause any hindrance during the construction process; coordinate with the selected inspection unit (Nghe An Construction Inspection Center) and relevant organizations and individuals in surveying, evaluating, and carrying out construction inspection in accordance with the correct order, procedures and time according to the inspection outline.

In particular, the project enterprise must have a written commitment to carry out construction in accordance with approved measures, absolutely not affecting people's lives; be responsible for organizing appraisals and promptly paying money in accordance with regulations to affected households at the time of completion of blasting construction according to the households' recommendations; ensure compliance with approved construction measures, ensuring absolute safety for people and property during the construction process. Take full responsibility before the law if the construction affects people's lives and production...

After the parties have agreed on a plan to resolve difficulties and obstacles to construct the roadbed section Km438+500 - Km438+681.2 in Hamlet 2, Dien Phu Commune, according to records, the blasting is currently being continued by the responsible unit. There will be 2 blasting sessions each day, each session will blast 15 drills and will be carried out one by one, not simultaneously. An officer in charge of blasting here expressed concern, when conducting the test blasting, the nearest point, 76m from the house, exploded 3 drills; the farthest point, more than 100m, exploded 9 drills. However, currently at the nearest point, the unit only explodes 1 drill at a time, so the amount of rock removed is not much. Meanwhile, the height that needs to be lowered at this point is more than 3m. If this continues, it will be very difficult to complete the blasting on March 31, 2024...