Representatives attend the conference. — VNA/VNS Photo Văn Điệp

HÀ NỘI — Deputy Prime Minister Trần Hồng Hà has asked the Long Thành International Airport Project Management Board to push ahead with the work on site, specifically driving up investor selection, which is key to ensuring the progress of the whole project.

Chairing an on-line and in-person conference, he praised the efforts of the airport planning team for their work so far in Đồng Nai Province, with the site now cleared and committing to a specific deadline for handing over the remaining areas.

The Việt Nam Air Traffic Management Corporation (VATM) has been proactive and creative in implementing bidding packages for the first three stages of the project.

Related to phase one, which included the construction of the headquarters of State management agencies, Deputy PM Hà requested the Ministry of Transport (MoT) to work with other ministries, integrate their work and report to the Government detailed and specific plans on commencement and completion times.

The MoT is responsible for the overall design of cargo terminal items, aviation logistics areas, aircraft maintenance areas, airline staff accommodation and catering areas to meet international aviation standards, offering the best and most modern services.

For bidding packages, international investors must be selected with full capacity, experience, reputation, professional and technical qualifications, operating at the world's leading airports and with effective business plans.

The bidding must not exclude the participation of Vietnamese businesses.

He emphasised that the time for completion and organisation of bidding is extremely important. By the middle of next month, the Civil Aviation Authority of Việt Nam must announce the bidding documents.

Confirming that the work on a large construction site must assign clear responsibilities, the Deputy PM requested the MoT to be in overall charge of monitoring progress and connecting the entire project with component projects.

Progress of transport infrastructure construction packages connecting Long Thành Airport with provinces and cities must also be ensured, in compatible with the progress of other component projects.

Deputy PM Hà also gave the MoT the responsibility of conducting an overall review and assessment of the project’s phase one.

The review should clarify problems, causes, responsibilities and solutions, along with specific completion deadlines, investment policies to build resettlement areas to serve the project, research and propose adjustments to prepare for phase two.

Work results

Speaking at the conference, Acting Chairman of the Đồng Nai Province's People's Committee Võ Tấn Đức said that for the T1 construction route, all of the site had been basically handed over, while 4,500sq.m left will be handed over to the construction contractor by the beginning of next month.

Regarding the electrical technical infrastructure relocation, Long Thành District worked with the contractor to cut off power at five out of 10 places that need to be moved, while paperwork and procedures for the medium-low voltage system has been completed and is under appraisal for implementation.

The province has completed 21 out of 21 technical infrastructure packages for resettlement areas and seven out of 11 social infrastructure projects.

Phase two of the project is the air traffic control, radar and radio transmitter stations, and bids for those parts, said the spokesperson from VATM, were already underway.

Phase three concerns the passenger terminal, general airport construction and building the cargo terminal.

Vũ Thế Phiệt, general director of the Airports Corporation of Việt Nam (ACV), said the passenger terminal package was up to 20 days ahead of schedule.

Phase four covers the freight terminal, the aviation logistics section, aircraft maintenance, the catering service and the operational centres of air carriers.

As much as 90 per cent of the steel volume has already arrived on site and is expected to be installed from August.

The runway, taxiway and aircraft apron bidding package aims to be completed on April 30 next year, which is three months earlier than schedule.

The traffic routes connecting the passenger terminal with the National Highway 51 and the HCM City-Long Thành-Dầu Giây Expressway are being implemented according to the set schedule.

The ACV directed the project management board to review the progress and construction time of the remaining packages to meet the deadline and avoid any potential conflicts. — VNS