Cracks appear on a section of Đà Nẵng-Quảng Ngãi Expressway running through Quảng Nam Province. VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI - The road foundation and surface of the Đà Nẵng-Quảng Ngãi Expressway project failed to meet technical standards, causing subsidence, the Ministry of Public Security has said.

According to the ministry’s latest report submitted to Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc, the road surface’s low quality combined with prolonged hot weather and heavy use caused the potholes.

The report conducted an inspection on the road surface of seven sub-projects built in the first phase of the Đà Nẵng-Quảng Ngãi Expressway.

The Đà Nẵng-Quảng Ngãi Expressway, which covers nearly 140km with an investment of more than VNĐ34 trillion, has reportedly downgraded after 14 months of operation.

About 70 sq.m out of 3.1 million sq.m of the road surface was found to have potholes, while several bridges and tunnels have shown signs of leaks or erosion.

The agency worked with relevant authorities to conduct a judicial assessment on the construction quality of the 74km Tam Kỳ-Quảng Ngãi section.

Subsidence has been reported on the surface of this section shortly after it was opened to traffic in 2018.

The Ministry of Public Security has proposed the PM assign the transport ministry to establish a council to study solutions to repair the road and calculate repair costs.

Depending on the scale of the degradation, the investigative agency will make a general assessment of violations.

The Ministry of Public Security said the construction violations committed in the first phase of the project resulted from investors, the management board, contractors, and supervision and consultant units breaking construction rules.

These acts show signed of breaching construction regulations, resulting in serious consequences as mentioned in the Criminal Code 2015.

Lê Quang Hùng, vice chairman of the State's Construction Work Evaluation Council, submitted a document to the investigative police, saying the contractors and the investor (Việt Nam Expressway Corporation or VEC) must bear full responsibilities for the violations.

The expressway was built in five years by the State-owned VEC.

The first section running from Đà Nẵng City to Tam Kỳ City of Quảng Nam Province was opened to traffic in August 2017, and the last section from Tam Kỳ to Quảng Ngãi opened in September 2018.

The project is an important part of the North-South Expressway. It is intended to ease traffic on the National Road No 1 and boost economic competitiveness for the central region.

After construction violations were found on the road, the Ministry of Public Security last year started legal proceedings against former director of the project management board and eight directors of sub-projects. VNS