Continuous Delays and Missed Deadlines for the Bien Hoa-Vung Tau Expressway Project
The Bien Hoa-Vung Tau Expressway, spanning 34.2km through Dong Nai province (with 16km managed by the Dong Nai People’s Committee and the remaining 18.2km by the Ministry of Transport), is facing significant delays. The project requires the relocation of over 3,500 households, with more than 290 hectares of land needing to be reclaimed by authorities.
Houses in Vuon Dua ward, Phuoc Tan, Bien Hoa city, remain intact, awaiting demolition for the project.
Initially, Dong Nai authorities planned to hand over 70% of the required land by June 30, 2023, and the remaining by December 31, 2023. However, these deadlines have been repeatedly pushed back, with the latest extension requested for October 15, 2024.
The primary challenge for Dong Nai province is land clearance, legal issues, compensation negotiations, and the provision of adequate resettlement areas. In Bien Hoa city, where the expressway covers just over 6km, only 45% of the required land has been handed over. Meanwhile, Long Thanh district has provided nearly 63% of the land for the first component of the project.
On September 24, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and a government delegation inspected the progress of the Bien Hoa-Vung Tau Expressway project.
During the visit, the Prime Minister instructed Dong Nai authorities to complete land clearance for the second component of the project by October 15.
Rare glimpse of houses along Dinh Quang An street being demolished to make way for the expressway.
Dong Nai’s leadership assured the Prime Minister that the province is committed to delivering the land for the second component of the project by the October 15 deadline. They also sought guidance and support from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment regarding procedural matters related to quarries.
With the rain season subsiding, Dong Nai’s leadership pledged to engage with contractors to accelerate project progress.
Affected Residents Await Resettlement Land Allocation
On October 15, VTC News reporters visited Vuon Dua ward in Bien Hoa city to assess the progress of land handover by residents.
According to Bien Hoa city authorities, Vuon Dua ward has been the slowest in terms of land clearance due to the large number of households, absentee landowners, and illegal construction on agricultural land.
Representatives of the second component of the expressway project acknowledge challenges due to insufficient land for road construction.
Residents impacted by the project express their willingness to relocate, but the lack of allocated resettlement land has made the transition difficult.
Nguyen Thi An, a resident of Bien Hoa city, shared: “My family received the land handover decision a long time ago, and the ward authorities have measured and proposed compensation. However, as we have not been allocated resettlement land, we don’t know where to move.” She also added that while most residents agree to give up their land for the national project, they have concerns about the fairness of the compensation offered.
Previously, Dong Nai authorities committed to the Prime Minister to hand over the land for the Bien Hoa-Vung Tau Expressway project by October 15.
According to the reporters’ observations, the project has commenced construction on several components, including road embankment, superstructure casting, super-T girder casting, drainage systems, culverts, and overpasses. However, the progress remains slow, with package 18 achieving just over 3% completion, package 21 reaching nearly 10%, and the second component overall at approximately 13%.
Representatives of the second component of the expressway project acknowledged that while the land clearance has mostly met the construction requirements, they are facing challenges due to insufficient land for road construction.
The Bien Hoa-Vung Tau Expressway, nearly 54km long, with over 34km in Dong Nai and almost 20km in Ba Ria-Vung Tau, commenced in June 2023 with a total investment of over VND 17,800 billion.
The project comprises three components, with the first managed by the Dong Nai People’s Committee, the second by the Ministry of Transport, and the third by the Ba Ria-Vung Tau People’s Committee.
On October 27, 2023, the Dong Nai People’s Committee arranged resettlement areas for affected households in Long Phuoc (33.9 hectares) and Long Duc (30 hectares), both in Long Thanh district.
Construction in the Long Duc resettlement area has progressed, with over 95% completion. Authorities have demarcated, divided into plots, and conducted a lottery for land allocation for eligible households.
Meanwhile, the Long Phuoc resettlement area has seen over 45% completion, and it is expected to provide approximately 1,048 plots for affected residents once finished.
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