The World Bank will cut funding for slow-progressing contracts in the Vinh City Suburban Project.
(Baonghean.vn) - On the morning of November 3rd, during a meeting with Nghe An province, representatives from the World Bank assessed that the sub-project implementation period was nearing completion, but many contract packages were behind schedule.
Among them, three bidding packages are facing the risk of falling behind schedule due to land clearance issues: Upgrading and renovating the ancient moat of Vinh; constructing the Vinh - Hung Tay road; and constructing the road connecting National Highway 46 with the road along the Lam River.
| On the morning of November 3, 2017, a World Bank delegation led by Ms. Phan Thi Phuong Huyen – Urban Specialist and head of the delegation, and Ms. Sarah Lin – World Bank Urban Analyst and co-head of the delegation, held a working session with the People's Committee of Nghe An province regarding the Vinh Urban Development Sub-project. Mr. Huynh Thanh Dien, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Nghe An province, received and worked with the delegation. |
After inspecting the project, representatives from the World Bank suggested that the People's Committees of provinces and cities should focus on resolving obstacles. For households that are delaying land clearance, more decisive and firm measures are needed, such as coercive measures and construction protection, to ensure the progress of land clearance and accelerate the project's progress, aiming for completion by November 30, 2017, and the project's completion by June 30, 2018.
Projects that fail to be completed on schedule as committed will have their funding from the World Bank cut off.
 |
| North Canal, Section 3 - a completed component of the Vinh Urban Sub-project. Photo: Vo Huyen. |
Responding to the delegation's recommendations, Mr. Huynh Thanh Dien, Vice Chairman of the Nghe An Provincial People's Committee, committed to completing the land clearance and overall project progress as required by the World Bank. Mr. Huynh Thanh Dien also expressed his hope that the World Bank would consider transferring surplus funds to invest in the construction of several drainage and flood control projects for the city, such as: a canal connecting the Vinh ancient citadel moat, a flood control system for the regulating lake, and a canal connecting the 3/2 bridge.
Following the proposals of Comrade Huynh Thanh Dien, the World Bank representative requested Vinh City and the People's Committee of Nghe An province to prepare a draft report for the Bank to study and address.
The Vinh Urban Development Project, funded by the World Bank, has a total investment of US$168.484 million. This includes US$98 million in World Bank loans and VND 1.269 billion in Vietnamese counterpart funding. To date, US$56.75 million of ODA funds have been disbursed, representing 67% of the total available project capital. VND 1.096 billion in counterpart funding has been provided. Currently, the Vinh Urban Sub-project has completed 7 construction packages and is implementing the remaining 9 construction packages: Upgrading and renovating the North Canal, section 3; constructing the Quan Bau resettlement area; constructing a regulating lake; upgrading and renovating the canals surrounding the Vinh ancient citadel; constructing the Hung Tay – Vinh road; and constructing the road connecting National Highway 46 with the Lam River embankment road. |
Vo Huyen
