Struggle
Responding to Lao Dong reporters at noon on October 25, Mr. Le Ngoc Nam - Director of the Project Management Board for Strengthening Traffic Connections in the Central Highlands (Project Management Board 2, Ministry of Transport) said: The construction unit of package XL01 has dug and filled 449,500m3/451,000m3 of soil and rock, the roadbed is basically finished; C19 asphalt concrete has been paved for 15.6km/16.5km.
However, the project is facing many challenges. Nearly 100 households in Tay Giang and Tay Thuan communes, Tay Son district, still disagree with the compensation price and the results of the assessment of damage to houses and structures caused by construction vibrations. Regarding the gravel grading project at the head of Bau Sen bridge, 8 households continue to request support to raise the house foundation, preventing construction.
The remaining concrete part of the left access road of pier A2 of Bau Sen bridge was obstructed by Vo Thi Kieu's household because they did not agree with the compensation for the cracked house.
The 27m long U-shaped ditch Km52+460 - Km52+487 (right side of the route) was "held back" by two households. Similarly, the section Km56+000 - Km56+080, at the location of Nui Da motel, was constructed with 80m of asphalt concrete offset and expanded with crushed stone mix.
Section Km56+540 – Km58+480, asphalt concrete paving item C12.5, has 86 households that have not yet accepted compensation.
According to Chairman of Tay Giang Commune People's Committee Ngo Luan, the local working group has been regularly present at Bau Sen and Ba La bridges since the beginning of the week, encouraging people to stop complaining, receive compensation, and create favorable conditions for Bac Trung Nam Infrastructure Construction Joint Stock Company to carry out the remaining items.
Mr. Luan informed: “The land has been cleared. Just because we do not agree on the compensation price, whenever the contractor mobilizes machinery and equipment to the construction site, the people come out to obstruct. We are very persistent but the situation is still stalemate and has not ended yet.”
Vice Chairman of Tay Son District People's Committee Nguyen Van Khanh said it was difficult: "The government has flexibly applied whatever is possible. But requests outside of regulations such as support for raising the ground, how can they be satisfied?"
The Central Highlands Region Transport Connectivity Enhancement Project has a length of 143.6km through the two provinces of Gia Lai (126.6km) and Binh Dinh (17km), using World Bank (WB) loans. After one extension, it will end on December 31, 2024.
Started in June 2021, the project has completed 7/8 packages. XL01 is the most technically complex package (section through An Khe Pass); it is also the place where fierce conflicts have arisen over the past 2 years.
"Ultimatum" for Binh Dinh
Regarding the Tay Son “bottleneck”, in a document sent to the People’s Committee of Binh Dinh province, the Ministry of Transport warned: The WB loan agreement can no longer be extended. In case the project is not completed when the agreement ends, the Government’s reputation with the sponsor will be affected, which is disadvantageous for Vietnam in the context that the country needs to mobilize resources from ODA sponsors to serve socio-economic development, including the North-South high-speed railway project…
The Ministry of Transport requests the People's Committee of Binh Dinh province to pay attention and resolutely direct the removal of difficulties, resolve existing problems and obstacles, and hand over the entire project site before November 15, 2024 for construction to be completed before the Loan Agreement expires.
In case the locality does not meet the above requirements, the Ministry of Transport will consider zoning, determining technical stopping points and handing over the remaining locations to Binh Dinh for investment management.
The Ministry will report to the Government and the Prime Minister on the causes of the problem in order to gain experience when considering investment in other projects in Binh Dinh.
