Ben Thuy Toll Station May Halt Fees If Road Repairs Lag

Vietnam's Directorate for Roads has demanded that Cienco 4, operator of the Ben Thuy toll station, expedite repairs on damaged sections of National Highway 1. If the required improvements are not made by the deadline, toll collection at the Ben Thuy station may be temporarily suspended starting October 15. The Directorate for Roads has instructed Cienco 4, the Vinh City Bypass BOT Branch (Chi nhánh BOT tuyến tránh TP Vinh), and the Regional Road Management Unit II (Khu Quản lý đường bộ II) to address the investor's performance in maintaining the Vinh City Bypass project and National Highway 1 (from the southern part of Ben Thuy Bridge to the old northern section of the Ha Tinh City Bypass). According to the Directorate, the investor and project enterprise have been repeatedly asked to manage and maintain the works to meet technical requirements. However, repair and maintenance efforts have either not been carried out or have not met technical standards when implemented. Numerous sections of National Highway 1 passing through Ha Tinh province have exhibited structural damage, road surface deterioration, peeling, cracking, and rutting, posing a significant risk to traffic safety. Based on a site inspection on September 8 and contractual terms, the Directorate for Roads has ordered Cienco 4 and the Vinh City Bypass BOT Branch to urgently repair damaged areas, rectify quality violations in maintenance, and ensure the safety of the infrastructure and traffic by October 10. Should Cienco 4 and the Vinh City Bypass BOT Branch fail to comply by the deadline, the Directorate for Roads will, within its authority, temporarily suspend toll collection from October 15. Regional Road Management Unit II is tasked with supervising the repairs, reporting progress weekly, and imposing penalties for violations. A representative from the Vinh City Bypass BOT Branch stated that the unit is currently repairing damaged sections through overhaul projects as requested by the Directorate for Roads and is also conducting regular maintenance to ensure traffic safety. The Ben Thuy toll station is part of the National Highway 1 expansion project (Ben Thuy South - Ha Tinh City Bypass), which was completed in 2014 with a total investment of over VND 2.43 trillion (approximately $100 million USD). The Vinh City Bypass BOT Branch is responsible for collecting tolls at the Ben Thuy 1 and 2 stations, located near the border of Nghe An and Ha Tinh provinces, to recover investment costs. Toll fees range from VND 40,000 to VND 200,000 ($1.70 to $8.50 USD) for different vehicle types. Previously, in September 2023, Regional Road Management Unit II had also requested the investor to address damaged sections on National Highway 1 in Ha Tinh province, proposing a suspension of toll collection at Ben Thuy if delays occurred. Cienco 4 subsequently carried out the repairs at that time.