Director of Vietnam Road Administration: 'Accompanying investors but will 'discipline' if there are violations'

Previously - on May 10, at the meeting of the State Steering Committee for key national projects and works in the transport sector, the Prime Minister requested that some provinces with remaining problems should speed up the handover of land, completing it no later than May 20. The goal is to start and complete essential service works at rest stops along the route before December 31.

Up to now, the Vietnam Road Administration has signed contracts to deploy 18 stations (collecting more than 1,200 billion VND for the state budget). Specifically, 8 stations signed contracts in August 2024, 7 stations signed contracts in March 2025 and 3 stations signed contracts in April 2025. Currently, the functional units of the Ministry of Construction are handling the bidding situation, selecting investors for the next 3 stations in the Southern region.

It is known that among the above projects, the investor of the Vietnam National Petroleum Group ( Petrolimex ) Joint Venture won the bid for 9 stations, of which some stations in Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh provinces have land and environmental permits, but the investor has not yet implemented, while these projects - contracts signed in August 2024, the deadline for completing essential public service works is less than 3 months away.

“We have worked with Petrolimex leaders and requested them to fulfill their commitments in the contract. Immediately afterwards - on May 5, the Board of Directors of Petrolimex issued Resolution 126/PLX-NQ-HĐQT agreeing to apply the form of contractor selection in “special cases” for the bid packages for the rest stop project on the Eastern North-South Expressway.

This solution will shorten the procedure for selecting consulting, design, construction contractors... - which the investor previously said was a problem and slowed down progress," Director Bui Quang Thai added.

According to Vietnam Law 's research, along the North-South Expressway, although there are still some places and localities that have not yet handed over enough "clean" land to investors, most of the projects signed in August 2024 by Petrolimex, the section passing through the North Central region, the localities here have made great efforts in supporting procedures for this investor.

Specifically, the Dien Chau - Bai Vot Rest Stop Project, the Environmental License was granted by the People's Committee of Duc Tho District (Ha Tinh) just 9 days after Petrolimex submitted a request for a license; the Mai Son - National Highway 45 Station Project, the People's Committee of Thanh Hoa City granted the Environmental License to the investor 18 days after receiving the application... The land of these projects was also handed over quite early by the two above localities.

A highway rest stop in the southern region has come into operation.

On the part of the competent State agency - the Vietnam Road Administration has also sent many working groups led by leaders of this Administration to localities where the stations will be deployed to coordinate with provinces and districts to handle land issues; guide investors on procedures for paying compensation and resettlement support according to regulations. At the grassroots level, the Road Management Areas under the Administration are also ready to coordinate with the competent agencies of the Ministry of Construction and investors to fully and promptly carry out connection procedures, ensuring traffic safety on the route for investors to deploy rest stops.

“According to the direction of the Ministry of Construction, at this stage, we are “closely following” the investors to support them with all related procedures. After this stage, when the procedures and conditions for starting construction are complete but the investor is still behind schedule, then we will base on the terms of the contract to “take action”, Director Thai affirmed.

Accordingly, in the contracts signed between the investor and the Vietnam Road Administration, there is a paragraph: “After the required deadline, if the public service works are not completed, 01 day late will reduce the corresponding business, operation and exploitation time by 02 days. In case of delay of more than 90 days, Party A has the right to consider terminating the contract…”.

Vu Lanh

Source: https://baophapluat.vn/cuc-truong-cuc-duong-bo-vn-dong-hanh-voi-nha-dau-tu-nhung-se-ra-roi-neu-vi-pham-post548416.html