Government asks provinces to ensure sufficient materials for North-South Expressway

July 13, 2021 | 10:49

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Amid a shortfall of materials, the government has asked relevant cities and provinces to take urgent action to ensure sufficient materials for the construction of the Eastern Cluster of the North-South Expressway project.

Government asks provinces to ensure sufficient materials for North-South Expressway

Several sections of the Eastern Cluster of the North-South Expressway are behind schedule

In Document No.179/TB-VPCP dated July 8, Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh asked relevant provinces to check local mines and grant licenses for mining certain minerals to produce common building materials so as to provide enough materials for the project.

The construction of some sections of the Eastern Cluster of the North-South Expressway (2017-2020) is a key national key project. However, progress remains slower than expected, hampered by COVID-19, the rising price and limited supply of building materials, and the slow granting of mining licenses, among others.

Worse still, four sections of the project have not been kicked off yet, including the two public-private partnership sections of Nha Trang-Cam Lam and Cam Lan-Vinh Hao.

To ensure project progress as requested by the National Assembly and the government and thus enable the target of developing about 5,000km of expressways by 2030, including the completion of the Eastern Cluster of the North-South Expressway project by 2025, Thanh also asked cities and provinces to fast-track site clearance, build resettlement areas, and hand over cleared land to contractors by July 30. as committed earlier.

The Ministry of Transport has been asked to work with other ministries and relevant agencies to deal with problems facing localities, businesses, and contractors while studying alternative sources of materials and working with relevant units to ensure project progress. The ministry will also need to submit monthly reports to the deputy prime minister.

In addition, he asked the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to soon deal with problems related to mines and make an environmental impact assessment report while establishing inspection groups to strictly fine any violations and then report to the prime minister before August 15.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Construction is asked to soon check and deal with proposals related to prices of building materials and steel prices, and issue timely guidance.