Progress on 4 North-South expressway projects 'no turning back'

Construction of Tan Son Nhat Terminal T3 to begin in December.

Construction of Tan Son Nhat Terminal T3 commenced in December 2022. Photo: Tuan Kiet

Regarding the progress of the Tan Son Nhat T3 Terminal Project, Deputy Minister of Transport Nguyen Danh Huy told the press at the government press conference on the afternoon of December 1st that the relevant procedures are currently being finalized to ensure construction begins by the end of this year.

According to Mr. Nguyen Danh Huy, two factors are necessary for the commencement of the Tan Son Nhat Terminal T3 Project: the handover of the site to the contractor and the investor's approval of the technical documents as well as the bidding process to select the contractor.

Regarding the land, the Ministry of National Defence has completed the land handover procedures. The Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee will then need to carry out the additional procedures to issue a decision on land reclamation.

"Today, Ho Chi Minh City assigned relevant departments to appraise the land acquisition plan. It is expected that two decisions related to land clearance and acquisition may be issued this week," Mr. Huy said.

On the investor's side, the Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV) selected the contractor for the foundation of the project at the end of July 2022 and has prepared sufficient financial resources, ensuring that "construction will definitely begin by the end of December".

Leaders of the Ministry of Transport also affirmed that the procedures are currently being ensured. The Ministry of National Defense and the Air Force Command have also facilitated the contractor in conducting trial pile driving.

"If there are no complications, construction on the Tan Son Nhat T3 Terminal Project could begin between December 15th and 22nd," Mr. Huy affirmed.

Construction is being carried out in strict accordance with the Prime Minister's directive, with 3 shifts and 4 teams.

With the government requiring the opening of four North-South expressway projects by the end of 2022, Deputy Minister Nguyen Danh Huy stated that these projects have "no room for retreat," as transportation infrastructure is crucial not only for public investment disbursement and economic growth but also for socio-economic development.

However, among the four projects, only the Cam Lo - La Son Project currently has a progress rate of 96.8%, and is certain to be completed and put into operation before December 31st.

The remaining three projects, including Mai Son - National Highway 45, Vinh Hao - Phan Thiet, and Phan Thiet - Dau Giay, will only have their entire routes paved with asphalt concrete, and are expected to be put into operation by April 30, 2023.

Regarding the reasons, according to Mr. Huy, the overall progress of the projects has only reached about 70%. In 2021, almost all three projects stalled due to the Covid-19 pandemic, with only 17% of the work completed, and the remaining volume mainly scheduled for 2022.

According to Mr. Huy, Minister of Transport Nguyen Van Thang inspected the site and requested that all possible solutions be implemented to open the project to traffic by December 31st. Mr. Huy stated that the projects are currently being constructed on the site in accordance with the Prime Minister's directive of 3 shifts and 4 teams.

However, in addition to the main route, the projects also include many other components such as access roads and local roads, which have received positive evaluations from the State Appraisal Council for new construction projects before being put into operation.

"Regarding concerns that accelerating the schedule might affect project quality, the Ministry's stance is that we will not sacrifice quality for speed. Construction projects are strictly controlled from the input of building materials to the output," Mr. Huy affirmed.