Government Inspectorate Identifies Responsible Party for Delayed VND 1.8 Trillion Project

Flood Control Project Left Idle for Over 16 Years

The flood control project for the Giếng Hin Reservoir (Bình Xuyên Commune, former Vĩnh Phúc Province; now part of Phú Thọ Province) was approved by the Chairman of Vĩnh Phúc Provincial People’s Committee in 2008. With a total investment of over 3.8 billion VND and a planned construction period of less than two years, the project aimed to improve drainage for the industrial zone to attract investors.

The drainage line spans 950 meters, utilizing reinforced concrete pipes with a diameter of 1 meter. At the time of inspection, the investor had only completed and accepted the section from K0+300 to K0+950, accounting for over 68% of the total volume. The remaining 32% (approximately 300 meters) remains unfinished due to prolonged land clearance issues.

The Government Inspectorate concluded that despite being a small-scale project with a short construction timeline and urgent objectives, it has been stalled for over 16 years, leaving the work incomplete and unable to fulfill its flood control function. “The direct cause stems from the former local government of Vĩnh Phúc failing to fully discharge its responsibilities and lacking decisiveness in addressing land clearance challenges,” the report stated.

Responsibility lies with the leadership of the Provincial People’s Committee overseeing the sector; the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development; the Irrigation Sub-Department; the leadership of Bình Xuyên District People’s Committee; the District Compensation and Land Clearance Council; the leadership of Thiện Kế Commune People’s Committee; and the Provincial Industrial Zone Management Board.

The Inspector General of the Government Inspectorate has recommended that the Prime Minister direct the Phú Thọ Provincial People’s Committee to review, clarify collective and individual responsibilities, and handle the matter within their authority. The committee is also urged to promptly resolve land clearance issues, hand over the site to the contractor, and complete the project to prevent resource wastage.

1.8 Trillion VND Project Achieves Only 20% Completion

In the same report, the Government Inspectorate highlighted numerous shortcomings in the Capital Region Connectivity Infrastructure Project in former Vĩnh Phúc Province. This Group A project, with a total investment of 1.8 trillion VND, includes the Capital Region Ring Road 5 and the Tam Đảo Foothills Route connecting Tây Thiên – National Highway 2B – National Highway 2C – Tuyên Quang, spanning a total length of 26.84 km.

Scheduled for implementation from 2021 to 2025, the project had only reached 20.5% completion at the time of inspection. Public investment disbursement stood at 47.9%, despite the substantial remaining workload. The primary cause of delays is the prolonged land acquisition, compensation, and clearance process.

The Government Inspectorate emphasized that responsibility lies with the leadership of the former Vĩnh Phúc Provincial People’s Committee for insufficient guidance and failure to address bottlenecks promptly. Relevant departments, district-level authorities, and the project investor also lacked coordination and failed to fulfill their assigned responsibilities. “As a result, the project has been delayed, reducing investment efficiency and falling short of its goal to connect key infrastructure in the capital region,” the report noted.

Specific responsibility falls on the leadership of the Provincial People’s Committee overseeing the sector; the leadership of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, and Department of Construction; the project investor; and related agencies during the 2022–2025 period.