Highway Road Infrastructure Management and Maintenance Quality Assessment
High-level directional signs on the Nha Trang – Cam Lam expressway. Photo: Phan Sau/TTXVN
Assessing the results after 1 year of implementing Resolution No. 06/NQ-ĐU dated November 10, 2022 by the Party Committee of the Vietnam Road Administration on enhancing solutions to ensure the quality of road infrastructure management and maintenance, Mr. Tran Hung Ha, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of the Vietnam Road Administration, said that units have reviewed 826 projects and completed construction works since the beginning of 2022 until the end of June 2023. In addition, 268 projects and construction works have been subject to comprehensive inspections.
The review shows that quality management has been carried out by contractors and supervising agencies. Most reports from units evaluate projects according to established quality standards. Some reports also indicate existing quality limitations and issues, but these have been detected, rectified, and resolved.
In 2023, the Vietnam Road Administration has also guided and instructed the deepening of quality inspections through independent consulting to collect samples, measure, and evaluate the results of road repair projects at various units. These evaluations analyze and compare the collected and checked results against technical standards to provide comments on construction quality.
The results show that the overall quality of the projects is ensured. For projects with remaining minor defects, the Vietnam Road Administration has instructed the Road Management Units to promptly repair and rectify these weaknesses, especially by directing evaluations of the reputability of contractors and prohibiting their participation in future contracts if they fail to meet quality requirements and fail to rectify defects according to regulations.
Regarding projects carried out directly by the Vietnam Road Administration, most projects have undergone on-site inspections, especially significant construction projects that were subject to thorough inspections based on specific topics. These projects have not violated quality standards.
According to Mr. Nguyen Xuan Cuong, Secretary of the Party Committee and Director-General of the Vietnam Road Administration, ensuring the quality of maintenance work on roads is crucial. To improve road maintenance quality, the first task is to strengthen inspections, monitoring, and disciplinary enforcement during implementation, ensuring that all officials and Party members are proactive and dynamic.
“Enhancing maintenance quality must be a regular topic of discussion in Party cell meetings, especially in cells directly involved in managing and maintaining road structures, Road Management Units, and Project Management Boards,” Mr. Cuong said.
Mr. Cuong also said that this year, the rate of periodic inspections for repair projects would be increased. Additionally, the rate of inspections for road maintenance projects would be raised from 30% to 50% of the total projects. Based on the level of violations, thorough inspections and in-depth examinations will be conducted for projects with signs of defects. This year, all regular road maintenance contracts nationwide will also undergo comprehensive reviews.
“Leaders of agencies responsible for project development and heads of relevant Party cells must be responsible for self-reflection and self-improvement to promptly rectify any existing deficiencies in maintenance quality. The Vietnam Road Administration will conduct surprise inspections of projects with violations. Reporting that projects meet quality requirements but later discovering violations will result in accountability. If the quality of maintenance projects fails to meet self-improvement standards, leaders of the managing units, as well as the secretaries of Party cells, must take responsibility,” Mr. Cuong emphasized.
Emphasizing the need for officials and Party members to set examples, especially in handling specific tasks, Mr. Tiến, Permanent Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of the Ministry of Transport, requested the Party Committee of the Vietnam Road Administration to enhance the quality of self-inspections and monitoring, especially regular monitoring, to promptly detect any errors, backlog, or deficiencies and to “self-reflect, self-correct,” and propose appropriate solutions for improvement.
