Lack of manpower at construction site
The Coastal Road Project connecting the East-West Economic Corridor of Quang Tri province phase 1 is expected to create a new driving force for the coastal area, connecting economic and tourism centers with the East-West trade corridor. However, after a long period of implementation, the project progress is still slow, in which the prominent reason is that many contractors have not mobilized sufficient manpower, vehicles, and equipment as committed.
The project has a total adjusted investment of more than 2,731 billion VND, with a length of about 48km. The project started in April 2022, and the implementation time has been extended to 2027. To date, localities have handed over about 90% of the site, and nearly 4.5km is mainly located in residential areas. However, the construction value of the entire project has only reached nearly 46%.
Records at the construction site in mid-May 2026 show that many sections of the route are deserted of workers and construction machinery. At the end of the route in Nam Dong Ha ward, according to the plan, the contractor must carry out crushed stone reinforcement and loading waiting for subsidence, but in reality, the roadbed embankment has not been completed.
In the section about 5km long through Trieu Binh commune constructed by Taco Truong Son Joint Stock Company, the achieved volume is very low. This is the most difficult area in the soil embankment item, but the implementation progress is slow in the context that the rainy and storm season is only a few months away.
The above reality is contrary to the commitment in the working minutes dated April 28, 2026 between the Project Management Board and the construction units. Accordingly, the contractors committed to focusing maximum manpower and equipment to accelerate before May 10, 2026. But after this milestone, in many locations, only small construction teams still appear.
Some contractors raised difficulties regarding high fuel and material prices, scarcity of embankment soil and filling sand. However, when most of the site has been handed over and capital has been allocated, the slow construction raises questions about contractor responsibility.
Will handle slow contractors
To overcome the above situation, the Quang Tri Provincial Construction Investment Project Management Board has requested contractors to sign commitments to mobilize human and material resources to simultaneously construct from May 10. However, so far the construction site has not had clear changes.
Mr. Vo Phong Luan - Deputy Director of the Quang Tri Provincial Construction Investment Project Management Board - said that in case by May 15, 2026, any unit still does not meet the requirements, the Project Management Board will base on the contract to handle it, and at the same time report to the Provincial People's Committee to consider terminating the contract and replacing the contractor to ensure project progress.
Besides the subjective reasons from the contractor, the investor admitted that site clearance work is still "sloppy", some sections have been handed over but access roads are narrow, causing difficulties for transporting materials and equipment. The situation of land and sand shortage and increased input prices are also real pressure.
However, with a project of more than 2,700 billion VND, about 90% of the site and capital are ready, prolonged delays will cause waste of time, increase the risk of delays, and even affect disbursement plans.
The issue at this time is not only to remove objective difficulties, but also to tighten responsibility, thoroughly handle construction contractors who are not decisive, and avoid allowing key projects to continue to be delayed.
