In the latest conclusion in October 2025, the Government Inspectorate pointed out that the actual vehicle traffic volume was much lower than the initial forecast, leading to a revenue deficit, and the approved financial plan of the project was no longer guaranteed for implementation.
The BOT project to invest in the construction of the Bac Giang - Lang Son City expressway section Km45+100-Km108+500, combined with the enhancement of the National Highway 1 section Km1+800 - Km106+500 has been implemented since 2015.
Remember, more than two years since the groundbreaking date, this project has been "stuck in place" due to not completing procedures and contracts, the investor at that time (leading UDIC) showed weakness in not mobilizing enough equity according to regulations.
The project situation only changed in a positive direction when the Ministry of Transport (now the Ministry of Construction) invited Deo Ca Group to replace the old investor, "rescuing" the project with a total investment of more than VND 12,000 billion, completely without using State capital.
On January 15, 2020, this nearly 65 km long expressway was officially put into operation, and was assessed by experts as a miracle in the progress of the transportation industry, meeting the expectations of the Government and the people.
Lang Son Provincial People's Committee has reported to the Government in Documents No. 402/BC-UBND dated August 13, 2024, Submission No. 23/TTr-UBND dated March 6, 2024, proposing to add VND 4,600 billion in state budget capital for the project (accounting for 37.75% of the total investment, less than 50% of the prescribed level in Clause 1, Article 69 of the PPP Law) to resolve problems in the project.
In the inspection conclusion dated October 14, 2025, the Government Inspectorate determined that in the context of the very difficult State budget source, implementing the Party's policy on mobilizing resources to invest in transport infrastructure under the form of public-private partnership, the implementation of investment in the Bac Giang - Lang Son expressway project using investors' capital, completing and putting it into operation to meet progress, quality, and the right investment goals, contributing to reducing traffic volume, reducing congestion and traffic accidents on National Highway 1, shortening travel time, creating momentum to promote socio-economic development, improving the competitiveness of the economy, improving the quality of life of people in localities with routes passing through.
According to the Government Inspectorate, the project did not achieve the initial target, low efficiency, and at the time of the revenue inspection, did not reach the financial plan in the BOT Contract and the signed appendices, leading to the enterprise collecting fees that were not enough to pay interest and principal of bank loans.
In addition to the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic on vehicle traffic volume, the Government Inspectorate pointed out that the forecast traffic volume is not close, the actual vehicle volume is much lower than the initial forecast, leading to a revenue deficit, and the approved financial plan of the project is no longer guaranteed for implementation.
In particular, the failure to collect tolls at Km24+900 Station, National Highway 1 according to objective circumstances at the time of implementation, as well as the exemption and reduction of vehicles around Km93+160 Toll Station, National Highway 1 have affected the project's financial plan.
Talking to the press, Associate Professor. Dr. Tran Chung, Chairman of the Vietnam Association of Road Traffic Investors (VARSI) said that the delay in handling procedures to increase State capital according to the policy approved by competent authorities, or the delay in handling existing problems in many current transport BOT projects is significantly affecting the progress of PPP projects and the psychology of investors.
"The delay in handling problems at projects makes it more difficult for investors to complete documents when there are policy changes. This is a huge waste of time, cooling down aspirations and losing opportunities for investors to contribute to the development of the country, Mr. Chung emphasized.
