TIỀN GIANG – A toll station in the Mekong Delta province of Tiền Giang was planning to start collecting fees again from March 25, more than a year after it was shut down, Deputy Minister of Transport Nguyễn Nhật announced at a meeting with provincial authorities and investors on Thursday.

The Cai Lậy toll station, one of the most controversial projects in Việt Nam, was forced to stop collecting fees in December 2017 just four months after it opened following complaints by locals who said it was located in the wrong place. 

Lưu Văn Hào, deputy head of the board of directors of Tiền Giang National Highway No 1 Investment Company, the toll station’s main investor, said that preparation had been completed for the day.

The station has eight lanes including two lanes equipped with electronic toll collection systems.

“The system will be set up on all lanes by October this year,” said Hào.

Colonel Nguyễn Hữu Trí, director of the provincial police, said they would ensure security at the toll station when it reopened.

Nhật said that discounts would be offered to people living within a 10km radius of the toll station rather than 5km as before.

It means 31 districts and town will benefit from the policy.

The fee business vehicles will have to pay will be halved while private vehicles within the radius will be exempt from the fee.

However, the toll station will operate for over 15 years instead of the seven years as previously planned so the investor can recoup the layout for the BOT project.

Cai Lậy toll station opened in August 2017 on a bypass that cost nearly VNĐ1.4 trillion ($60.2 million).

Despite its location on National Highway No 1, the station collects fees, ranging from VNĐ35,000 to VNĐ180,000 depending on the type of vehicle, for a 12km bypass around Cai Lậy Town.

However, many drivers do not use the bypass but still have to pay the toll. — VNS