A map showing the route of the Phan Thiết – Dầu Giây Expressway, whose construction will begin next quarter. — Photo baobinhthuan.com.vn

ĐỒNG NAI — Authorities in the southern province of Đồng Nai are trying to hand over the lands required for the construction of the Phan Thiết – Dầu Giây Expressway before the end of May.

The sub-department of Land Management said it is working with local authorities and relevant agencies to quickly complete paperwork and procedures to hand over lands to the builder to start construction.

Nguyễn Hồng Quế, head of the sub-department, said a 51.5km portion of the 99km expressway would pass through Đồng Nai Province’s Xuân Lộc, Cẩm Mỹ and Thống Nhất districts and Long Khánh City.

More than 395 hectares of land have to be acquired from nearly 900 households.

Site clearance has been completed in Cẩm Mỹ and Thống Nhất districts and Long Khánh City, but is proceeding slowly in Xuân Lộc District.

The department will co-ordinate with Xuân Lộc District authorities to speed up clearance and compensation payment.

Local authorities have been instructed to complete relocation of infrastructure systems such as power grids, telecom networks and water supply by the end of April.

The Phan Thiết – Dầu Giây Expressway is an eastern section of the North-South Expressway, which begins at National Highway 1A in Bình Thuận Province and ends at the HCM City – Long Thành – Dầu Giây Expressway in Đồng Nai Province.

Its first phase will cost more than VNĐ14.4 trillion (US$615 million), including VNĐ2.5 trillion ($105 million) from the Government’s coffers and the rest from private investors. It will be built as a public-private partnership under a build-operate-transfer contract.

Construction is scheduled to begin in the third quarter of this year and take 36 months. — VNS