The Bến Lức- Long Thành Expressway between Long An and Đồng Nai provinces through HCM City has been delayed due to the lack of a managing unit. — Photo baochinhphu.vn

HCM CITY — The Government Office said Deputy Prime Minister Trịnh Đình Dũng has ordered the setting up of a managing unit for the Bến Lức-Long Thành Expressway project.

According to the Vietnam Expressway Development and Investment Corporation (VEC), which is building the highway, the lack of a managing unit to decide on investment has led to a delay in the project.

Dũng has directed the Government Office to quickly complete procedures for setting up the managing unit.

He instructed the Ministry of Planning and Investment to work with the Ministries of Finance and Transport and other relevant agencies report to the government on allocating funds for ODA projects invested by the VEC.

The Ministry of Finance has informed the Asian Development Bank that procedures are being carried out and asked it to extend the loan agreement for the expressway project to June 1 next year.

HCM City and Đồng Nai Province have been instructed to quickly acquire and hand over land to the construction unit in line with the schedule.

Work on the expressway began in July 2014 and was scheduled to be completed in 2018.

But it has been delayed, with only 76 per cent completed as of last year.

The 58km expressway connects Long An Province’s Bến Lức and Cần Giuộc districts with Bình Chánh, Nhà Bè and Cần Giờ districts in HCM City and Nhơn Trạch and Long Thành Districts in Đồng Nai Province.

It will have four lanes and allow vehicles to travel at up to 100km per hour.—VNS