After 6 years of implementation, the Hanoi-Hai Phong expressway, the first national key project to deploy a large-scale BOT model with 105 km of international expressway standards, is in the main construction phase.

Directly inspecting and discussing issues at the construction site as well as during briefings, Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai acknowledged the efforts and progress of the investor and contractor recently. However, compared to the proposed progress requirements, in general the project is still slow.

"Most of the milestones set in the total progress have passed, but only nearly 50% of the volume has been completed, while the site is nearly 100% guaranteed, basically no need to worry about capital, not many problems," the Deputy Prime Minister reminded.

Deputy Prime Minister inspected a site clearance problem on the route
Hanoi-Hai Phong Expressway. Photo: VGP/Nguyen Linh

Currently, localities have handed over 1,411.56/1,422.10 hectares of clean land to contractors (reaching 99.26%). Hanoi's undelivered area still has 3 points in Long Bien district, Gia Lam district; Hung Yen has 2 remaining points in Khoai Chau and An Thi districts; Hai Duong still has 6 points in Binh Giang district, Gia Loc town, Hai Phong and 2 points in Kinh Duong district, Hai An district. This is having a major impact on the planned completion time of each bidding package. Contractors rely on the reason for delay in handing over the site to request extension of time and related costs.

The Deputy Prime Minister requested localities to focus on thoroughly handling "parking spots" this year to ensure clean ground for construction.

Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai chaired the progress briefing
Hanoi-Hai Phong expressway, November 23. Photo: VGP/Nguyen Linh

Mr. Dao Van Chien, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Vidifi, the project investor, also reported a number of issues related to contractor capacity. The project still has a situation where contractors do not ensure enough equipment and personnel to execute the package but instead hire subcontractors, equipment, and personnel in Vietnam at low prices.

At the same time, the contractors did not mobilize enough working capital as committed in the Bid Documents but relied mainly on monthly payments, leading to not paying promptly to subcontractors providing materials, equipment, and labor, so during the implementation process, these subcontractors often arbitrarily stopped construction, leading to slow progress.

At the project progress briefing, Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai emphasized the need to review the progress of each bidding package, each obstacle, concentrate financial resources, human resources, and overtime to ensure the progress of construction and operation of the new arterial traffic route in the context of Road 5 being clearly overloaded, determined not to slow down the proposed progress any further. Specifically, strive to complete the entire route by the end of 2015 as planned.

The construction work to complete the new plastic surface has been implemented for about approx
more than 10km from Hai Phong. Photo: VGP/Nguyen Linh

Due to the large volume (about 40 million m3), ensuring material security for the project initially encountered many difficulties such as in terms of source, quality and supply schedule... Up to now, the Project Management Board and the Investor have actively overcome the inadequacies and gradually resolved the difficulties, striving to ensure the necessary conditions for the construction of the entire route to meet the quality and efficiency of the proposed schedule.

Acknowledging the feedback from the Investor and related parties, the Deputy Prime Minister agreed to a number of mechanisms to create favorable conditions for the project, but requested "not sacrificing quality, controlling and strictly controlling anti-subsidence issues, quality of imported asphalt, investing in weighing vehicles to ensure the durability of the road".

Source: Chinhphu.vn