Site clearance boosted for major traffic projects

Clearing sites is a complex and difficult task, and the implementation process often takes a long time and has a significant impact on project progress. In fact, many key transportation projects in the province are facing difficulties in land clearance compensation work. Various sectors and levels are making efforts to carry out this task well.

Thuan An has relocated the power grid on section of National Highway 13 from Dai Lo Tu Do of Vietnam - Singapore I Industrial Park to 22-12 Street (photo taken on August 4). So far, the city has completed the relocation of the power grid on this section

Power grid relocation and site clearance to be soon fulfilled

The BOT project to upgrade and expand National Highway 13 is invested in construction with the expectation of continuing to create a "technical framework" to develop the province's socio-economic development, meeting two major objectives: relieving traffic pressure on the route and preparing for urban and service development. Currently, the project is facing difficulties and obstacles in relocating power lines and site clearance.

Currently, for the electricity relocation, the People's Committee of Thuận An City has approved the design and construction drawings for the relocation of the power grid and is currently relocating the electricity from the 22-12 road to Nguyen Thi Minh Khai road. According to the Project Management Board for investment and construction of Thuận An City, the unit strives to complete the relocation of the power grid from the 22-12 road to the intersection of Le Hong Phong (Thu Dau Mot City) in September 2024. From the Ong Bo Bridge to Dai Lo Tu Do intersection of Vietnam - Singapore Industrial Park I is to be completed in October 2024.

Regarding the land clearance work, the project is currently being expedited by local authorities. Specifically, the section from the intersection of Freedom Avenue and Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Park I to the intersection of Le Hong Phong (approximately 4.9km long), for the section passing through Thu Dau Mot City (approximately 750m long), 100% of the land has been handed over; for the section passing through Thuan An City (approximately 4.15km long), 88% of the land has been handed over out of the total approved files (108 out of 123 approved files), with the remaining 12% expected to be handed over in the third quarter of 2024. Up to now, Thuan An city has handed over 74% of the approved documents (74 out of 100 approved documents) for the section from Ong Bo bridge to the intersection of Huu Nghi Boulevard, Vietnam - Singapore Industrial Park I (2.9km long). The remaining 26% is expected to be handed over in the third quarter of 2024. From the Vinh Phu welcome gate to the Ong Bo bridge (4.9km long), up to now, Thuan An City has handed over 53% of the approved land (167/315 approved documents), the remaining 47% is expected to be handed over in the third quarter, fourth quarter of 2024.

Coordinated troubleshooting

For component project 1 (clearance of the Belt Road 4 in Ho Chi Minh City, from Thủ Biên Bridge to Sài Gòn River), with a length of about 47.85km, the clearance scope within the project is approximately 27.21km. The provincial People's Committee has approved the boundary for the clearance of the Belt Road 4 project in Ho Chi Minh City, which is 18.3km out of 27.21km, reaching 67%. In 2024, the project has a planned capital of 6,632 billion 942 million Vietnamese dong. Currently, the provincial People's Committee has approved the pile driving dossier for the entire route clearance of the project.

Project Management Board of provincial transportation infrastructure said that the investor proposed the project has handed over the milestone of land clearance approval 7.1km/18.3km. However, the search for survey contractors, preparation of technical research reports for land clearance projects is still difficult at present, with few contractors participating, so the selection of survey contractors and preparation of technical research reports for the project have not been timely. In addition, the funding for the legal procedures to convert forest and paddy land into transportation land for project implementation has not yielded any results so far. The process of preparing and submitting for appraisal and approval of the project's land clearance boundaries has been consistently delayed compared to the provincial People's Committee's plan.

Along with that, the handover of land clearance has not been timely and complete in practice. This directly affects other procedures of land clearance work and the ability to disburse the project's capital plan for 2024. The survey and construction of land valuation certificates cannot be carried out without determining the actual land clearance milestone.

Mr. Tran Hung Viet, Director of the Project Management Board for provincial transportation projects, said that the Management Board has proposed to the investor to accelerate the progress of preparing, submitting for appraisal, and approving the remaining sections of land clearance in order to have a basis for preparing technical research reports and implementing compensation and land clearance work for the project in accordance with regulations. At the same time, urgently install milestones, hand over design documents, and demarcate the boundaries of land clearance outside the actual area that has been approved by the provincial People's Committee; study and submit for appraisal the demarcation of straight and simple land clearance sections in advance to support the acceleration of the progress of land recovery documentation.

Mr. Tran Hung Viet added that for localities, the provincial Project Management Board of Transport Infrastructure has proposed to the People's Committee of Tan Uyen City, the People's Committee of Ben Cat City, and the People's Committee of Bac Tan Uyen District to direct subordinate units to urgently prepare and organize the implementation of compensation and land recovery immediately after receiving the boundary marker for site clearance; review and complete procedures for handover of other land areas to ensure the area of land for project commencement according to the plan.

Reported by Phuong Le – Translated by Vi Bao