Construction of the Long Thành International Airport’s passenger terminal in Đồng Nai Province began in March. — VNA/VNS Photo Công Phong

HCM CITY — As of June more than VNĐ15.6 trillion (US$667 million) has been paid out for land acquisition and resettlement of people living in the area where the Long Thành International Airport is being built in the southern province of Đồng Nai.

According to the province's Department of Planning and Investment, the money accounts for 68 per cent of the allocation for the purpose.

To spread over an area of ​​5,000ha, Long Thành International Airport is a key national project situated 40km to the east of HCM City.

Its construction will be done in three phases at a total cost of VNĐ336.6 trillion ($16.3 billion).

The estimated cost of the first phase, which can be amended by 2025, is VNĐ114.4 trillion ($5.4 billion).

The airport is designed to have four runways, four passenger terminals and other auxiliary facilities to handle a capacity of 100 million passengers and five million tonnes of cargo a year by 2040.

But the first phase will only have one runway and terminal each and handle 25 million passengers and 1.2 million tonnes of cargo.

But it is lagging behind schedule.

The pile construction package for the passenger terminal began on March 30 and is scheduled to be completed in October.

The terminal, the most important work, is technically complex and needs advanced technologies to compete with international aviation hubs in the region.

The construction of piles, the foundation of the terminal, is the core item that will determine the progress of the entire project.

The contractors will construct bored piles of various diameters.

Construction of other works such as runways, taxiways and apron will start simultaneously at the end of this year and be completed in the fourth quarter of 2024.

Ancillary works are scheduled to start in March 2023 and be completed by January 2025. — VNS