Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính at the meeting. VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính has called on ministries, localities, investors and contractors of expressway projects to speed up construction without sacrificing quality.

He made the remarks on February 5 while hosting a meeting with ministries, branches and localities after inspecting the construction of sections of the eastern section of the north-south expressway project from Khánh Hoà Province to Đồng Nai Province.

According to Minister of Transport Nguyễn Văn Thể, from Khánh Hòa Province to Đồng Nai there are four expressway projects under the eastern section of the north-south expressway. Currently, all projects have been allocated with sufficient capital and site clearance has been basically completed.

However, in the process of implementation, there are some problems that need to be improved, including project management capacity and decentralisation of investments.

Representatives from all concerned discussed ways to speed up progress and improve the quality of the project, as well as mechanisms for mobilising financial resources, the specific policies needed for prices of construction materials for key projects and local responsibilities related to site clearance, resettlement, management of mining construction materials.

Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính expressed his concern over the fact that, after 20 years, the whole country has only about 1,000 km of expressways, and public investment projects are often slower than investment projects in the form of Public, Private Partnerships (PPP). The cost of PPP projects is also lower than public investment projects.

The PM said investors, contractors, localities, the government and agencies at all levels must raise the spirit of doing everything possible for the benefit of the nation. Coordinating agencies must organise the investment preparation work, conducting quick ground clearance. Resettlement work must ensure that people have a better life when moving to new places. The supply of construction materials for projects must be handled well, ensuring the harmony of interests of the State, people and businesses. 

PM Chính asked the Transport Ministry to work closely with departments and localities to fix existing shortcomings, speed up site clearance and seek more qualified consultants.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment is required to review regulations related to the management of construction materials to prevent abnormal price hikes that causes State asset wastefulness and unhealthy competition.

The PM also called further attention to ensuring the lives of relocated households and stepping up the vaccination campaign for workers of the projects to hasten their progress. VNS