Delays in National Highway 7: A looming threat and a risk of waste.
The upgrade project for National Highway 7 was expected to be completed in 2024. However, to date, the project is behind schedule due to land acquisition issues, causing many difficulties for road users.
Accidents are lurking.
Observations along National Highway 7, specifically the section passing through My Thanh commune, Yen Thanh district, reveal many uncompleted sections due to land acquisition issues. The road surface is severely degraded with numerous potholes, cracks, and peeling, making travel difficult. During the rainy season, the road becomes muddy and slippery, while in the dry season it is covered in dust, significantly impacting the lives of local residents.
Mr. Tran Minh Chien, a resident of Hoa Son commune, Do Luong district, shared: “Vehicles traveling on the unconstructed section of road face significant difficulties, and several accidents have occurred due to potholes. We hope the project will be implemented more quickly to ensure the safety of people and vehicles participating in traffic.”
Furthermore, due to the severely deteriorated condition of the road, many vehicles traveling on National Highway 7 are forced to avoid this section. To reach Do Luong town from My Thanh commune (Yen Thanh district), drivers have to detour through Thuong Son and Thai Son communes (7-8 km further), increasing fuel costs and travel time.
In particular, the section from the intersection of National Highway 7 with the expressway to National Highway 1, passing through Dien Cat commune, is severely degraded.
Furthermore, observations along National Highway 7 show that in some sections, due to incomplete land clearance, construction has to be carried out in a piecemeal, fragmented manner, creating dangerous raised edges between the new asphalt layer and the old road, posing a potential risk of traffic accidents.
Risk of project delays and wasted investment.
According to information from Project Management Unit 4 – the project's investor – the project's delay is mainly due to difficulties in land clearance. To date, localities along the route have handed over approximately 54.093 km out of 55.405 km (equivalent to 97.64%). However, the remaining 1.309 km, divided into 49 different sections, has yet to be handed over.
Specifically: Dien Chau District has 29 sections that have not yet been handed over, with a total length of approximately 0.605 km, located in Minh Chau, Dien Thanh, Dien Cat, and Dien Phuc communes. Yen Thanh District has 20 sections that have not yet been handed over, with a total length of approximately 0.703 km, located in Cong Thanh, My Thanh, and Vien Thanh communes.
The National Highway 7 upgrade project, with a total investment of VND 1,300 billion, commenced in September 2022 and is expected to be completed in 2024. To date, only VND 581.629 billion out of VND 714.785 billion has been disbursed, equivalent to 81.37% of the contract. If the delays in land clearance continue, the risk of the project being completely stalled is very high.
Given this situation, Project Management Board 4 (the investor) proposes that relevant agencies and local authorities take stronger measures to resolve land-related issues. It is necessary to strengthen communication and encourage people to comply with compensation, support, and resettlement policies in accordance with regulations, creating consensus to expedite land handover.
Expedite the process of surveying, compiling compensation records, and completing necessary legal procedures to proceed with forced construction against households that refuse to hand over the land. Allocate appropriate funds to ensure timely payment of compensation, protecting the rights of the people and avoiding prolonged disputes.
Mr. Hoang Van Chau, Deputy Head of Project Management Board 4, stated: "If the land acquisition issue is not resolved definitively soon, the project risks having its funding cut and being handed over to the local authorities in its current state. This will affect traffic safety, environmental sanitation, and prevent the project from achieving its stated objectives, meaning that investment capital will be wasted."