Can Tho's VND 1 Trillion Highway Project Stalled After Four Years

The Tỉnh 923 provincial road upgrade and expansion project in Can Tho City, Vietnam, is facing significant delays, with only 27% of the work completed four years after its inception. The project's budget has nearly doubled from an initial VND 567 billion to VND 1.035 trillion (approximately $42 million USD). The nearly 14km stretch of Tỉnh 923, particularly sections passing through Phước Thới ward and Phong Điền commune, has been plagued by potholes, sinkholes, and subsidence for months, causing difficulties and safety hazards for travelers. The approximately 3km section in Phong Điền is severely damaged, with large puddles making travel slow and arduous, tripling the usual travel time for truck driver Nguyễn Văn Sang. Local residents like ông Huỳnh Văn Sủng have endured years of muddy conditions during the rainy season and dust during dry spells. Furthermore, seven old, narrow, and degraded iron bridges remain on the route, hindering traffic. New bridges under the project are also stalled, with unfinished piers overgrown with weeds and machinery rusting. According to the Can Tho Department of Construction, the primary reason for the delays is difficulties in land acquisition. When the project was approved in 2021, the budget for land clearance covered only about 40% of the estimated need. Changes in land laws and administrative boundary adjustments increased compensation costs to over VND 670 billion, more than triple the initial estimate. A lack of funds led to a 14-month halt in compensation payments. While 1,127 out of 1,471 affected households have received over VND 400 billion in compensation, the land handed over to contractors is fragmented, preventing simultaneous construction. Shortages of construction sand and stone, as well as delays in relocating electricity and telecommunication cables, have further compounded the problems. The project's completion deadline has been extended to the end of this year. The Department of Construction is working with local authorities to accelerate compensation and land clearance, prioritize resettlement land, and consider coercive measures for recalcitrant landowners. Contractors have been instructed to ensure material supply, develop detailed monthly schedules, increase personnel and equipment, and proceed with phased construction as soon as clean land is available. Source: VnExpress