QUẢNG NINH — Thirty-seven new landslide points have been discovered on the Hạ Long-Vân Đồn Expressway, the northern province of Quảng Ninh, local authorities reported.

A leader of Biên Cương BOT Joint Stock Company, which is the investor of the expressway project, said recent heavy rains in the north seriously affected ongoing construction of the expresway, which was expected to fully come into operation by the year end following the company’s commitment with Quảng Ninh Province People’s Committee, according to Người đưa tin (The Messenger) online newspaper.

Statistics of the company revealed that after floods began on August 13, the road had developed 37 new landslide points, of which 10 are in severe condition, accompanied by hundreds of cubic metres of rock and soil pouring onto the asphalt road.

To repair damages and ensure the project’s progress, the investor has sent workers to the site to clear the soil and rock. However, due to the abundant soil at the site, the task was difficult.

The investor is also building an additional drainage system, carrying out dredging aimed at limiting the impact of the weather on the lives of residents.

Previously, in May 2017, Quảng Ninh Province’s leaders visited the construction site to inspect and ask the investor to ensure progress of the expressway project, which must be completed by December 2017.

At a follow-up working session, provincial leaders proposed the investor change contractors who didn’t ensure progress.

The Hạ Long-Vân Đồn Expressway project was invested in the form of BOT (Build-Operate-Transfer), with total investment of nearly VNĐ12 trillion (US$526 million) through a joint-venture under the name of BOT Biên Cương Joint Stock Company. — VNS