Removing difficulties for key transport projects

(Baonghean) -In recent years, Nghe An Transport sector has implemented many projects, aiming to improve transport infrastructure, such as Tay Nghe An Road Project, Chau Thon - Tan Xuan, Road N5, National Highway 8B upgrading project; in the 8 key projects of the province, the transport sector has 4 projects: Upgrading National Highway 1 Dien Chau - Quan Hanh section, National Highway 1 - Thai Hoa Town, Vinh - Cua Lo Boulevard and building Truong Bon Historical Site. The sector's projects and works were implemented under the conditions of Resolution 11 tightening public investment and capital from the budget being cut, so the sector has had policies suitable to the practical situation.

For non-key projects, the Department of Transport has directed to reduce progress and allocate capital as needed. When capital is available, direct the completion of each section; do not spread out construction but focus on key points, traffic intersections, etc. At the same time, direct construction units to develop plans to ensure traffic for all types of vehicles during the reduced construction progress period, especially during the rainy season.

Construction of railway overpass girder on National Highway 1, Nghi Loc - Dien Chau section.

For key projects, depending on the specific situation and conditions of the project, the industry proposes different funding solutions, such as the project to upgrade National Highway 1, Dien Chau - Quan Hanh section, 23.4 km long, divided into 4 bidding packages with a total investment of 1,217 billion VND. This is a key project not only for the province but also at the national level to remove congestion on National Highway 1 when there are too many vehicles participating in traffic, leading to overload.

Construction started on September 19, 2010, at that time, the construction capital for the project was only 50 billion VND. To ensure progress, the investor selected a contractor with financial capacity to construct, combined with the efforts of ministries, branches and the Government to obtain the earliest capital. In 2011, the capital allocated for the project was 90 billion VND, in 2012 it was 190/110 billion VND expected (excluding compensation capital for site clearance). By the end of 2012, the capital allocated was only more than 1/4 of the total investment, but the construction value of the lowest projects reached 31%, the highest was 80%: Cam bridge completed 80% of the work, railway overpass 63%...

Talking to us, engineer Tran Duc Khoa, Deputy Director of Thuan An Construction Joint Stock Company said: Currently, the construction unit has achieved more than 68% of the work volume. The investor is owing the unit tens of billions of dong. With the motto of having resources to concentrate forces and means to construct quickly and completely, the unit strives to hand over the project by December 31, 2013. To ensure funding for construction, the company has used many capital sources such as bank loans, mobilizing internal resources...

Regarding the National Highway 1-Thai Hoa project, the Transport sector identified this as a key project connecting the East-West corridor not only of Nghe An but also the entire North Central region to develop the economy of the Western Nghe An region. The completed route will shorten the distance for exporting goods through Dong Hoi - Nghi Son port by tens of kilometers. The sector has selected a potential contractor, which is Company 36 under the Ministry of National Defense.

The project has a total investment of 855 billion VND, a route length of 29 km, after nearly 2 years of construction, the route has now been opened; the construction value has been 270 billion VND, reaching 48%, in the second quarter of 2013, striving to complete 10 km for handover and use. It is worth mentioning that in the volume of 270 billion VND completed, the investor owes the contractor about 120 billion VND. This is a project that highly demonstrates the spirit of "contractors accompanying the project owner". The contractor and the investor will solve capital problems and run the capital together. This is also a new way of coordination between the investor and the contractor to solve capital difficulties in order to speed up the construction progress.

Vinh - Cua Lo Boulevard Project, one of the key projects with the method of exploiting land funds for construction at a time when housing and land prices are at rock bottom, cannot attract investors. To overcome the difficulties, the industry has advised the relevant agencies to include a loan mechanism in the resolution of the People's Council. Supported by the Ministry of Finance with preferential loans, Package No. 5 with a total length of 3 km at the end of the route has been started, to date the work volume has been completed by about 50%; expected to be put into use on June 30, 2013. When the road is put into use, the land fund within the planning scope will be put into operation, the revenue from this land fund will be invested in the remaining packages. In difficult investment conditions, "rolling" exploitation is considered a "smart" solution.

According to Mr. Nguyen Hong Ky - Director of the Department of Transport, in the past time, by this flexible approach, the industry has overcome difficulties, helping to ensure the progress of key projects. To achieve that result, the industry has also made efforts, shared the difficulties of contractors, and promoted the combined strengths of contractors. Investors actively pursued and sought capital sources, which can be said to be the experience in overcoming difficulties for traffic projects in the area at present.

Article and photos: Cong Sang