Asphalt concrete pavement construction of a component project of the North-South Expressway. VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI ­– Several projects belonging to the North-South Expressway that have deadlines for completion by the end of this year are behind schedule, reported the Ministry of Construction.

The traffic management system on the expressway is also slow in selecting contractors to deploy equipment and information technology application software.

The ministry said that as scheduled, about 1,900km of road component projects in the North-South Expressway have to be completed this year.

However, the component project of Bến Lức-Long Thành still has 0.3km of construction work to complete the newly added National Highway 51 intersection while the Biên Hoà-Vũng Tàu component 2 project has not yet handed over the ground for the overpass of provincial Road 770B. And 13 high-voltage intersections are being relocated. 

The Ministry requested the Việt Nam Expressway Corporation (VEC) and the project management unit (PMU) 85 to closely monitor the projects and coordinate with localities to push up ground clearance and technical facility moving progress by June 15.  

Regarding a solution for construction materials for the Quảng Ngãi-Hoài Nhơn project, the PMU 2 and contractors were asked to closely co-operate with relevant units to quickly complete administrative procedures to increase mining capacity to provide enough stone materials for asphalt concrete construction to ensure the project's quality and progress.

At present, there are seven component projects behind the schedule incluging Vũng Áng-Bùng, Vạn Ninh-Cam Lộ, Quảng Ngãi-Hoài Nhơn, Chí Thạnh-Vân Phong, Cần Thơ-Hậu Giang, Hậu Giang-Cà Mau and Lộ Tẻ-Rạch Sỏi. The projects are 3-25 per cent behind schedule.

The ministry required PMUs to review progress and resolutely direct contractors to increase machinery, equipment and human resources to compensate for the slow progress.

Regarding the investment to complete six road tunnels on the North-South Expressway, the PMUs have urgently completed plans to submit to the Ministry of Construction for approval of adjustments before June 10; developed detailed plans and proposed solutions to complete the technical designs and fire prevention and fighting measures by August; and plan to complete tunnel works in the second quarter of 2026.

In particular, tunnel No. 3 of the Quảng Ngãi-Hoài Nhơn section project will be completed in the third quarter of 2026.

“Project management units and contractors must ensure progress to boost disbursement output, contributing to economic growth,” Construction Minister Trần Hồng Minh said in a recent meeting.

Regarding investment in intelligent transportation systems (ITS), toll stations, and vehicle load testing, Lê Quyết Tiến, director of the Department of Economics and Construction Investment Management, said that up to now, all construction packages of five projects in the North-South Eastern Expressway have started construction and are expected to be completed by the end of September.

The main reason for the delay in the investment progress was due to the prolonged evaluation of the bidding documents, said Tiến.

Investors do not have much experience in implementing equipment items and information technology application software; delays in preparing, appraising, approving outlines, estimates, and bidding documents for design consulting and appraisal consulting packages; and delays in preparing design documents and estimates for the design step implemented after the basic design, Tiến said.

The Bãi Vọt-Hàm Nghi and Hàm Nghi-Vũng Áng projects were delayed due to re-bidding because there were no participating contractors.

“Investors must complete contractor selection in June and start implementation of ITS, toll stations, and vehicle load testing in October,” Tiến said.

For rest stops along the North-South Expressway, the Department for Road of Việt Nam and PMUs were asked to closely co-ordinate with localities to complete site clearance for the nine remaining rest stops by June 15 and direct investors to speed up construction progress of toll collection stations on the expressways.

PMU 85 and Mỹ Thuận have to urgently complete procedures for selecting investors in June to start construction for completion by the end of this year. VNS