Problems in land acquisition for Thanh Nam - Con Cuong bridge construction project

Proposed support policy for households whose land is recovered for project implementation

Present at the construction siteThanh Nam bridge over Lam river, Con Cuong districtOn July 4, the construction unit was carrying out construction items. A permanent bridge across the Lam River here is gradually being completed. However, the road from National Highway 7A to the bridge and the bridge abutment on the town side are "inactive".

The contractor representative said that up to this point, the project has completed about 80% of the volume. The remaining 20% ​​of the volume has not been completed, including the road leading to the bridge abutment about 300 m long and some other items, because the locality has not yet cleared the land, so the construction unit has not been able to implement.

Speaking to reporters, Mr. Luong Dinh Viet - Vice Chairman of the District People's Committee, Chairman of the Land Clearance Council of Con Cuong District said: The road to the bridge on the Con Cuong town side has 42 households affected. Of which, 4 households are residential, 3 households are forced to relocate, the district has arranged land for new resettlement. As for 38 business kiosks on land managed by the State, the Councilland clearanceThe district has declared, counted assets, and prepared documents to have a compensation plan according to regulations.

However, in the process of implementing compensation and support, there are many difficulties. Because the assets and constructions serving the daily life of business households are attached to the land of organizations, not "attached to the land of households and individuals", they are not eligible for compensation and support according to State regulations. At the same time, there is currently no document stipulating the depreciation period applicable to damaged houses and constructions for assets built by business households, so the value of damaged houses and constructions cannot be determined.

If Circular No. 45/2018/TT-BTC of the Ministry of Finance guiding the management, depreciation and amortization of fixed assets at agencies, organizations, units and fixed assets assigned by the State to enterprises for management is applied, the construction time of this project has been over 15 years, so when applying the circular, the current value of damaged houses and constructions will all be zero and people will not receive compensation when their assets on land are recovered.

From those problems, to ensure stable life and production and business at Con Cuong town market affected by land acquisition, on June 6, 2023, Con Cuong District People's Committee submitted a document to the Provincial People's Committee and the Departments of Construction and Finance to report problems and propose other support policies for compensation and support plans when the State acquires land to implement the Thanh Nam bridge project across Lam River.

Accordingly, the People's CommitteeCon Cuong districtProposal to support compensation for assets on land for business households: 100% of the new construction value according to the unit price in Decision No. 69/2022/QD-UBND dated December 30, 2022 of the Provincial People's Committee.

Support for training, career conversion and job search for families with 5 or more members: Cash support, support level equal to 50% of one year's income after tax (according to the average annual income of the 3 previous consecutive years). For families with 4 or less members: Cash support, support level equal to 30% of one year's income after tax (according to the average annual income of the 3 previous consecutive years)...

People want a place to make a living

Contacting some households doing business and trading in the Con Cuong market area that are subject to land acquisition to clear the site for the Thanh Nam bridge project across Lam River, Con Cuong district, the people completely agreed with the State's policy of land acquisition to implement the project.

However, people want the government to "give them fishing rods, not fish". The option of changing jobs is not suitable, because many people are old and no longer able to change jobs.

Mr. Bui The Bich in Block 6, Con Cuong Town (a business household in the Con Cuong market area subject to land acquisition for the project) said that his family has been making a living here for decades. When the State acquired the land to implement the Thanh Nam Bridge construction project, the family completely agreed. However, the family's wish is that the local government arrange business and trading locations for the households to ensure long-term stability in life.

Mr. Hoang Minh Duc and his wife - owners of a kiosk selling ready-made clothes and tailoring clothes - said that if the State proposed a job conversion plan, it would be inappropriate, because many people are old and cannot change jobs anymore. "I have always worked as a tailor at this kiosk. Now I am 64 years old and cannot change jobs anymore. My wish is that the local government will arrange a business location so that my family can have a place to make a living," Mr. Duc explained.

The Thanh Nam Bridge construction project across Lam River, Con Cuong District, connecting the town with the left bank of Lam River, was approved by the People's Council of Nghe An province in Resolution No. 13, dated May 14, 2020 and started construction in August 2021, with a total investment of nearly 166 billion VND. According to the plan, the project will be completed by September this year after 2 years of construction. However, up to this point, the locality has not yet cleared the road section from National Highway 7A to the bridge, so the project is difficult to complete on schedule.

Thanh Nam Bridge over Lam River, Con Cuong District is designed as a permanent bridge with prestressed reinforced concrete structure, the bridge length is about 412m, the road at both ends of the bridge has a total length of 1.78km. In which, the road at the bridgehead on the town bank (intersection with National Highway 7), length is about 0.18km: Grade III mountain road, roadbed width 9m; road surface width 6m, reinforced 1.5m shoulder on each side with the same structure as the road surface. Complete construction of drainage system along both sides of the road.

The road at the bridgehead on the Thanh Nam bank (intersection with DT.541), about 1.6km long, is a grade IV mountainous road with a 7.5m wide roadbed; 5.5m wide road surface, reinforced 0.5m on each side with the same structure as the road surface. The bridge is designed with a load capacity according to HL93 standard.