Blazing Through: The Bien Hoa-Vung Tau Expressway Project Races Ahead with a Boosted Investment of Over 24,000 Billion Dong.

The site handover process for the construction of Component Project 1 and Component Project 2 (under the management of Dong Nai province) has seen positive progress. However, according to a report by the Ministry of Transport, the cleared sites are not yet spacious enough to facilitate simultaneous construction across the entire project area. Specifically, Component Project 1 has only handed over approximately 67% of the required area, while Component Project 2 has handed over about 93.43%.

Resettlement areas intended for Component Project 1 (in Bien Hoa city) have not started construction, and those for Component Project 2 (in Long Thanh district) remain incomplete. The relocation of technical infrastructure projects is proceeding slowly, and the relocation and restitution process will be time-consuming and complex, especially for power lines over 35kV and water pipes with a diameter of more than 500mm. Consequently, this will impact the construction schedule of the project.

Prioritize Handover of Locations Requiring Soil Treatment:

Given the circumstances, the Ministry of Transport has requested that Dong Nai province direct and urge relevant agencies to focus on resolving challenges and expediting the progress of compensation and infrastructure relocation. They should also accelerate the construction of resettlement areas, especially the two areas in Bien Hoa city, and prioritize the early handover of locations with completed legal procedures, soil treatment requirements, bridges, tunnels, and culverts, to enable contractors to initiate construction. Additionally, it is crucial to expedite the payment process for affected residents to complete the site handover as soon as possible.

Regarding the source of fill material, Dong Nai province has only approved the exploitation of mines in Phuoc Binh commune and Tam Phuoc ward, providing approximately 1.2 million cubic meters out of the required 5.2 million cubic meters for both Component Project 1 and 2. With a shortfall of approximately 4 million cubic meters, it is essential to identify additional sources promptly to ensure the project’s completion according to the planned schedule.

The Ministry of Transport has requested that Dong Nai province consider approving the continued exploitation of mines in Phuoc Binh and Tam Phuoc, in line with their reserves, while also providing support and guidance to contractors in conducting surveys and obtaining procedures for exploitation under special mechanisms at other mines (such as the Pe Noi hills and Hill 309 in Cam My district).

Furthermore, the People’s Committee of Dong Nai province has proposed to the Prime Minister to allow the reclamation of filling material from a portion of the planned area (187 hectares) of Terminal T3 of the Long Thanh International Airport. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has provided guidance to the locality for implementation. However, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment has not yet issued an official opinion or advisory document on the plan to utilize this source of fill material for the construction of the project.

Adjustment of Investment Policy is Necessary:

With the increase in site clearance costs and the addition of interchanges, bridges, and toll systems, it is imperative to adjust the total investment capital for the Bien Hoa-Vung Tau Expressway project. Specifically, the site clearance costs, as calculated at the present time for the component projects, are expected to increase by approximately VND 4,080 billion compared to the site clearance costs included in the total investment capital approved by the National Assembly in Resolution 59/2022/QH15. This increase in site clearance costs has led to a total investment that surpasses the preliminary figure approved by the National Assembly, necessitating an adjustment of the investment policy.

The project requires the addition of the My Xuan-Ngai Giao interchange (connecting to Provincial Road 991) in Component Project 3, with a total value of VND 1,581 billion. Updates to construction costs, the inclusion of bridges within the interchange, the toll system, and the vehicle weight control station amount to VND 619 billion.

Consequently, the projected adjusted total investment capital for the project is approximately VND 6,280 billion higher than the figure approved by the National Assembly, increasing from VND 17,837 billion to VND 24,117 billion.

Currently, the Ministry of Transport has requested the People’s Committee of Dong Nai province to clarify the increase in compensation, support, and resettlement costs for Component Projects 1 and 2 to finalize the internal appraisal and the dossier for adjusting the investment policy of the project for submission to the competent authority as prescribed.