With a total of 450 construction rigs, 6,500 workers, and 2,200 equipment pieces mobilized, contractors are well-equipped for the unique challenges of construction in the Mekong Delta region. (Photo: VGP)
Most projects in the Mekong Delta region are behind schedule, ranging from 4% to 15%, primarily due to a shortage of suitable fill material.
At a conference held on October 16th to address challenges and promote infrastructure development in the Mekong Delta region, Deputy Minister of Transport Nguyen Duy Lam reported to Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh that land clearance for the expressway projects currently underway has reached over 99%, essentially meeting construction schedule requirements.
However, the Ho Chi Minh Road project is an exception, with land clearance falling short of construction needs (56% in Kien Giang province and 82% in Bac Lieu province). Additionally, the Cao Lanh-Lo Te project continues to face obstacles regarding land clearance at the Lo Te intersection in Can Tho city.
โDespite the efforts of local authorities, land clearance has not been completed as required by the Prime Ministerโs directive from September 2024,โ Deputy Minister Nguyen Duy Lam stated.
Deputy Minister of Transport Nguyen Duy Lam at the Conference on October 16th โ Photo: VGP/Doan Bac
Regarding construction deployment, contractors have mobilized a total of 450 construction rigs, 6,500 workers, and 2,200 pieces of equipment, with the Can Tho-Ca Mau project alone accounting for 183 rigs, 971 equipment pieces, and 3,000 workers.
Nevertheless, most projects are behind schedule, ranging from 4% to 15%. The primary cause of these delays is the insufficient supply of fill material, which has resulted in significant waste of time and resources for the contractors, negatively impacting construction efficiency and project completion timelines.
According to the Ministry of Transport, the Can Tho-Ca Mau and Ho Chi Minh Road projects must complete load-bearing work by December 31, 2024, to meet the December 31, 2025, deadline for project completion.
โHowever, the Can Tho-Ca Mau project is currently only achieving a daily fill material supply of 54,000 cubic meters out of the required 76,000 cubic meters. Meanwhile, the Ho Chi Minh Road project is limited to working on bridges and organic excavation due to pending procedures for mine allocation. Therefore, if we fail to secure additional sources of fill material for these projects to meet the required capacity by October 2024, it will be challenging to stay on schedule,โ said Deputy Minister of Transport Nguyen Duy Lam.
Regarding funding for the projects, the Ministry of Transport affirmed that capital allocation is generally sufficient to maintain construction progress. Specifically, the Cao Lanh-An Huu project requires an additional VND 250 billion, which the province of Dong Thap is in the process of allocating from local sources. Meanwhile, the Rach Mieu 2 Bridge project needs an extra VND 1,192 billion, and the Ministry of Transport has already sent a request to the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Ministry of Finance to address this matter.
Challenges Faced in Implementing Projects in the Mekong Delta Region
Speaking about the difficulties encountered in executing projects in the Mekong Delta region, Deputy Minister of Transport Nguyen Duy Lam reported that the Ministry of Transport and local authorities have consistently received strong support and proactive guidance from the Government, the Prime Minister, and Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha.
In particular, the Prime Minister has personally inspected the project sites on five occasions and worked directly with local authorities to provide direction, offering solutions to overcome obstacles and accelerate project progress.
However, challenges persist regarding the supply of fill material. Despite obtaining the necessary permits to extract river sand, the output capacity of the mines is limited and unable to keep up with construction demands. Additionally, despite the Prime Ministerโs directive for provinces like Tien Giang, Ben Tre, Vinh Long, and Soc Trang to finalize procedures for mine permits by August 30th, the progress of these procedures has not aligned with construction timelines.
Furthermore, several mines in Tien Giang and Ben Tre provinces were found to have overlapping claims with inland waterway channels and their protective corridors during the survey and evaluation of their quality and reserves. Consequently, alternative mines had to be sought, impacting the timeline for mine allocation. Some mines in Tien Giang province were also allocated to contractors but fall within the mineral exploitation plan for the period of 2026โ2030.
The organization of sea sand extraction in Soc Trang province to serve the construction of the Hau Giang-Ca Mau Expressway is currently yielding approximately 15,000 cubic meters per day. While contractors have mobilized resources from across the country, low water levels mean that only small-capacity vessels can be utilized, and operations are heavily dependent on weather conditions.
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