Collecting tolls on Ben Thuy II Bridge to expand National Highway 1A

In the context of limited State budget, the Ministry of Transport has assigned Cienco 4 as the investor to implement the project of upgrading and expanding National Highway 1A from the South of Ben Thuy II Bridge to Ha Tinh City under the BOT form.

Accordingly, right from the beginning of the project implementation, Cienco 4 will collect tolls at Ben Thuy II Bridge to expand National Highway 1A.
The investment project to upgrade and expand National Highway 1A, the section from Ben Thuy II Bridge to Ha Tinh City, has just been started. This is the initial project to realize the goal of expanding National Highway 1A, opening the route from Hanoi to Can Tho in 2016.

In the context of limited State budget, the Ministry of Transport has assigned Cienco 4 as the investor to implement the project of upgrading and expanding National Highway 1A from the South of Ben Thuy II Bridge to Ha Tinh City under the BOT form.

Accordingly, during the project implementation period, Cienco 4 will collect tolls at Ben Thuy II Bridge to expand National Highway 1A.

According to Mr. Le Ngoc Hoa, General Director of Construction Corporation of Transport Works 4 (Cinenco 4), this is a project in which the investor joins hands with the Government and the Ministry of Transport to extend sections to widen National Highway 1A.

Regarding the toll collection mechanism, Mr. Hoa said that from now until the end of 2014, during the construction period, Cienco 4 will collect 15 thousand VND/1CPU (converted vehicle). After completing the project in 2014 to 2016, Cienco 4 will increase it once, collecting 20 thousand, an increase of 5 thousand compared to present.

After 2016, the fee will be increased every 3 years, each time by 20% (1.2 times). With this mechanism, the payback period is approximately 20 years, and the sponsor will lend for 12 years.

The General Director of Cienco 4 also said: Many people wonder why they still have to pay the fee if they do not use Ben Thuy II bridge. However, this is not a fee for Ben Thuy II bridge but a fee for investors in the Vinh City bypass route.

Regarding the land clearance work for the bypass route, the General Director of Cienco 4 said that currently, 3/4 of the districts have been cleared. Currently, only Can Loc district has not paid compensation for land clearance.

"We are proposing that the Ministry of Transport use budget capital and bond capital for site clearance. The sponsor BIDV commits to sponsor 85% of the construction capital and the investor, a total of 4, will bear 15% with all equipment, capacity, and experience to implement the project.", Mr. Hoa said.

(According to Vietnamnet)- LH