Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh inspects the progress of the Long Thanh Airport project, Dong Nai province – Photo: VGP / Nhat Bac
On February 13 (the 4th day of the Lunar New Year), Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh visited the progress, presented gifts, and encouraged the officials, workers, and laborers working at the Long Thanh Airport project site in Dong Nai province; at the same time, he visited the relocation area and encouraged the people who had given up their land for the project.
The Prime Minister reviews the map and checks the progress of the project – Photo: VGP / Nhat Bac
Accompanying the Prime Minister were Party Central Committee members: Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha, Minister, Chairman of the Government Office Tran Van Son, Minister of Transport Nguyen Van Thang, Minister of Construction Nguyen Thanh Nghi, Lieutenant General Le Quoc Hung, Deputy Minister of Public Security, leaders of central and local ministries, agencies and localities.
The Prime Minister presents gifts and wishes Tet to the project construction workers – Photo: VGP / Nhat Bac
In the scorching sun of the dry season, the Prime Minister personally inspected the construction progress, encouraged the workers at the construction site, and chaired a working session until 1 p.m.
According to the report of the Ministry of Transport, Dong Nai province and relevant agencies, the total investment of the Long Thanh International Airport project for land recovery, compensation, and resettlement support is VND 22,856 billion, with the Dong Nai Province People’s Committee as the investor.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh acknowledges and appreciates the progress in implementing the items – Photo: VGP / Nhat Bac
So far, a total area of 4,882/5,000 hectares has been recovered, reaching 98.7%, including handing over the land for phase 1 with a total area of 2,532/2,532 hectares, reaching 100%. Regarding resettlement arrangement, the total number of affected households is 5,647, of which 4,246 households have been approved (4,112 resettlement households have been arranged); there are 320 households expected to be approved in early 2024.
The phase 1 investment project for the construction of Long Thanh Airport has a total investment of nearly VND 110,000 billion. The project consists of 04 component projects, of which component project 3 includes important works in the airport by Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV) as the investor with a total investment of over VND 99,000 billion.
Prime Minister works with workers at Long Thanh International Airport construction site – Photo: VGP / Nhat Bac
ACV has selected the construction contractor for the passenger terminal as the VIETUR consortium and started construction on August 31, 2023.
Regarding quality management, the Ministry of Transport, State Capital Management Committee at enterprises, State Inspection Council have regularly inspected the site and evaluated the progress; at the same time, they have given specific directions for project implementation.
In addition, the State Inspection Council worked with the Project Management Board to review, evaluate, guide, and direct the investor to closely control survey, technical design, and quality management work, investigate and rectify some existing issues to ensure quality.
A sense of urgency in the construction atmosphere at the project site – Photo: VGP / Nhat Bac
After inspecting the site and listening to reports, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh acknowledged and appreciated the progress in implementing the items, in which land clearance and basic procedures have been completed; the 4 km long and 75 m wide runway has taken shape, and the underground part of the passenger terminal has been completed.
After more than 5 months since the groundbreaking, the contractors have mobilized over 3,200 laborers and nearly 1,300 pieces of machinery and equipment to serve the construction packages, of which during the Lunar New Year, there were nearly 800 engineers and workers staying at the construction site and working throughout the Lunar New Year. So far, the disbursement of public investment for the packages has reached over VND 11,300 billion.
Prime Minister chairs a working session with ministries, sectors, and localities at the project – Photo: VGP / Nhat Bac
The Prime Minister reiterated that in 2022, when inspecting the construction site, he criticized the Vietnam Airport Corporation, but this time after 2 years, the Prime Minister acknowledged and commended the ministries, sectors, relevant agencies, Dong Nai province, and especially ACV for the results achieved.
The Prime Minister stated that if 2022 and 2023 were the starting years, then 2024 would be the year of acceleration, and 2025 would be the breakout year. In the first 6 months of 2026, the project of Long Thanh Airport had to be completed and put into operation.
With the experience gained, the Prime Minister requested to rebuild the runway schedule, strive to shorten the time by an additional 3 to 6 months to make up for the delayed time, and launch a competition from now until April 30, 2025 (the 50th anniversary of the liberation of the South and the reunification of the country).
In the morning of February 13, the Prime Minister visited the relocation area and encouraged the people who gave up their land for the project – Photo: VGP / Nhat Bac
Contractors concerned should make greater efforts with the spirit of “only talk about work, not about setbacks”, “overcome the sun, overcome the rain”, “eat opportunely, sleep diligently”, work in “3 shifts 4 groups”, work during holidays and Lunar New Year, regularly inspect and supervise to ensure progress, quality, technology, and aesthetics, ensure labor safety, environmental hygiene, fight against corruption and negativity, and waste; closely coordinate and synchronously deploy support and related projects such as connecting roads.
Prime Minister talks to people who gave up their land for the project – Photo: VGP / Nhat Bac
Dong Nai Provincial People’s Committee urgently completes the work of land clearance of the entire project and hands it over to investors to implement component projects; promptly handle difficulties in resettlement arrangements and project implementation.
The Prime Minister noted that Dong Nai province and the agencies should study, plan, and calculate the construction of the Long Thanh Airport City. The Ministry of Transport, together with the relevant agencies, needs to research the traffic connection plan between Long Thanh Airport and Tan Son Nhat Airport; at the same time, study the design and construction plan of phase 2 to be ready for deployment immediately after completing phase 1.
Regarding the recommendation of residents related to the infrastructure costs of resettlement (calculated per square meter of land), Deputy Minister of Transport Nguyen Van Thang said that the agencies of the National Assembly affirmed that this is the competence of the Government. Hearing the report, the Prime Minister emphasized that a decision on this matter would be made soon according to his jurisdiction.
The Prime Minister affirmed that the Party and the State put people at the center, as the subject, ensuring the legitimate and rightful rights and interests of the people. The ultimate goal of the Party and the State is to take care of the people so that they have a better life and happiness.
* Prior to that, when visiting the Loc An-Binh Son resettlement area, Long Thanh district, Dong Nai province, the Prime Minister affirmed that the land clearance work to serve the Long Thanh International Airport project was very large and difficult, but Dong Nai province had made efforts to hand over almost all of it. The Prime Minister welcomed the Dong Nai Provincial Party Committee, the authorities, the military, and the people of the province for doing well in the work of land clearance; thanked the people for giving land for the project.
Representatives of residents in the resettlement area expressed joy at their new comfortable, clean living places, with complete infrastructure, and improved lives. At the same time, the local government and people proposed to the Government and the Prime Minister some issues related to resettlement policies to facilitate local residents.
Listening to and responding to residents’ opinions, the Prime Minister clarified the Party’s and State’s policy of resettlement: people are relocated to new residences by or better than their old residences. Therefore, the Prime Minister requested the development of comprehensive planning for resettlement areas and hoped that residents would strive with the support of the State to have increasingly comfortable and prosperous residences. The Prime Minister paid attention to local authorities and agencies to pay attention to building social infrastructure such as schools, medical stations, cultural and sports facilities.
The Prime Minister also requested agencies and localities to review, pay attention to job creation and livelihoods for residents, especially vocational training, job conversion, and give priority to local laborers working at the current airport project and the Long Thanh Airport project when completed.
Regarding the conversion of about 1,000 resettlement houses for Long Thanh Airport project to be relocated for the Bien Hoa – Vung Tau expressway project, Minister of Transport Nguyen Van Thang said that the agencies of the National Assembly have affirmed that this is the authority of the Government. Hearing the report, the Prime Minister emphasized that a decision on this matter would be made soon according to his jurisdiction.
The Prime Minister affirmed that the Party and the State put the people at the center, as the subject, ensuring the legitimate and rightful rights and interests of the people. The ultimate goal of the Party and the State is to take care of the people, day by day, having a more comfortable and happier life.
