The Non-Stop Construction Sites and the Transport Sector’s Determination

On August 18th, the Prime Minister launched a 500-day high-intensity campaign, “500 days and nights to complete 3,000km of expressways.” With this initiative, there is a strong determination to finish the remaining 1,000km by 2025. Putting their personal plans and holidays aside, transportation sector units, contractors, engineers, and workers are united in their commitment to this campaign, working tirelessly during the National Day holiday on September 2nd…

Braving the Sun, Committed to the Construction Site

Mr. Le Khac Hong, Head of the T3 Passenger Terminal Project Management Board at Tan Son Nhat International Airport, shared that the current construction output has reached approximately 70%, including equipment and material contracts already signed. Over 2,500 engineers and workers from the joint venture contractor worked through the National Day holiday.

On the construction site, more than 100 workers were mobilized to complete about 60% of the first roof layer. Inside the terminal, workers hurriedly installed electrical, gas, and water supply and drainage systems. Pipes, technical boxes, and the central control station have taken shape.

A similar bustling atmosphere could be felt at the Long Thanh International Airport project site during the holiday. According to the Long Thanh Airport Project Management Board, contractors are mobilizing over 8,000 workers and equipment to simultaneously work on four large packages at the airport, including the passenger terminal, airside, two connecting transport routes, and the air traffic control tower. In addition to the ongoing construction, units have also placed orders for equipment, and manufacturers are producing and processing components according to the set schedule. It is expected that by August 31, 2026, the entire terminal will be completed.

Several targets have been set, including completing the runway by April 30, 2025. So far, the two connecting transport routes have completed about 55% of the work volume and are expected to be opened to traffic by the end of 2025. The air traffic control tower, with a total height of 123 meters, is on track to be substantially completed by April 30, 2025, to serve calibration flights.

For the Ring Road 3 – Ho Chi Minh City project, in the Tan Van-Nhon Trach section, the investor shared that during the September 2nd holiday, units mobilized more than ten bridge and road construction teams. To date, the project has completed 65% of the work volume, aiming for traffic opening in September 2025.

At the Ben Luc-Long Thanh Expressway, the contractor mobilized hundreds of workers and equipment to focus on critical sections of the project. The project is expected to open to traffic by the end of this year.

On the North-South Expressway through Phu Yen province, construction units maintain a “3-shift, 4-team” work schedule. Both the Quy Nhon-Chi Thanh and Chi Thanh-Van Phong projects are on schedule to be completed in the third quarter of 2025.

Construction of Rach Mieu 2 Bridge is also in full swing, aiming for completion by the National Day holiday on September 2, 2025. As of the end of August 2024, the project has completed 57.73%, basically meeting the plan.

At the Hoai Nhon-Quy Nhon Expressway in Binh Dinh Province, the sound of machinery fills the air, and hundreds of engineers and workers are dedicated to their tasks, working through the holiday. During this holiday, 300 workers from Cienco 8 stayed on-site, divided into four construction teams.

Currently, out of the nearly 5km section managed by Cienco 8, the company has completed the K98 roadbed, with 60% of crushed stone in place and 1km of asphalt paved. The company is making efforts to continue construction during the rainy season and aims to complete asphalt paving by the end of September, ensuring that the project meets the deadline.

The Project Management Board 85 also shared that during the holiday, contractors mobilized 103 construction teams with nearly 1,400 personnel. By the end of August 2024, the cumulative output reached more than VND 3,800 billion, equivalent to 49.72% of the contract, 0.17% ahead of schedule.

According to the Department of Investment Management (Ministry of Transport), as of the end of August 2024, localities have handed over more than 719km for the construction of the North-South Expressway in phase 2 (equivalent to 99.7%). The remaining land area mainly comprises residential land, with complex relocation procedures, and technical infrastructure projects involving multiple agencies and units. The Ministry of Transport is requesting investors to closely coordinate with local authorities to promptly handle obstacles and hand over the site to contractors.

Ministry of Transport Requests an Additional VND 4,000 Billion from the State Budget for Road Construction

As units are accelerating disbursement in the last months of the year, the Ministry of Transport has recently proposed an additional VND 4,200 billion in investment capital to meet the implementation needs of Group B projects and projects that have completed investment procedures.

According to the Investment Plan – Finance Department (Ministry of Transport), up to now, the Prime Minister has assigned VND 67,955 billion of the 2024 plan capital from the state budget to the Ministry of Transport. The Ministry of Transport is also allowed to extend the disbursement of the 2023 plan to 2024, with an amount of VND 3,329 billion. The total plan for investment in 2024 is VND 71,284 billion.

To meet the actual capital needs for project implementation, the Ministry of Transport has proposed an additional VND 2,954 billion of the 2024 plan for Group B projects that are lacking capital.

Approximately VND 1,240 billion from the central budget surplus is also being proposed to supplement projects that have completed investment procedures. It is expected that the total disbursement plan for 2024 of the Ministry will be about VND 75,478 billion,” said the Investment Plan – Finance Department.

In reality, the implementation of the 2024 plan of the Ministry of Transport is facing a capital shortage for some Group B projects, which have basically disbursed the full 2024 plan but cannot be supplemented with additional plans.

This is due to a lack of capital and the inability to reallocate from other projects, especially critical and key projects, as per Decision No. 1603 of the Prime Minister, which requires a minimum allocation of VND 43,479 billion for key national projects, expressways, inter-regional roads, coastal roads, and other key projects.

This is the reason why the Ministry of Transport has requested competent authorities to soon allocate nearly VND 3,000 billion to ensure the progress of these projects.