In November 2022, the Ham Nghi extended road project invested by the Ha Tinh Provincial Traffic Construction Investment Project Management Board will begin construction.

The project is 3.3km long with the starting point connecting National Highway 1 and Ha Tinh City bypass in Thach Dai commune (Thach Ha district) and the end point connecting to National Highway 8C branch in Thach Xuan commune (Thach Ha district).

This will be the main traffic axis connecting the city center to the North-South expressway, the high-speed railway station, and National Highway 8C, meeting the convenient travel needs of the people, contributing to the development of urban space to the West of Ha Tinh City. At the same time, promoting socio -economic development for the southwestern communes of Thach Ha district and Ha Tinh City.

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The Ham Nghi extended road project has a total investment of 575 billion VND. Photo: TL

The Center for Land Fund Development and Geotechnical Engineering (Department of Natural Resources and Environment of Ha Tinh) is the unit responsible for carrying out site clearance work.

According to the contract, the project must be completed and put into use within 24 months. However, 2 years have passed but the project has not been completed due to 1.2km of land acquisition issues.

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The project still has 1.2km of land clearance remaining. Photo: TL

Speaking with VietNamNet reporter, Mr. Ho Nhat Le, Director of the Center for Land Fund Development and Geotechnical Engineering (Department of Natural Resources and Environment) said that according to the scope of land acquisition and clearance approved by the People's Committee of Ha Tinh province, the Ham Nghi extended road project affects the land, houses, and architectural works of 314 households.

Of these, 137 households had their residential land affected, 177 households had their agricultural land affected in 8 villages in Thach Dai commune (Thach Ha district), with a total area of ​​more than 21 hectares.

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Difficulties in site clearance caused the project to not finish on schedule. Photo: TL

If only calculating the scope of the main route land acquisition (excluding the service road items), the project will affect about 140 residential land plots; of which 55 plots will be recovered in their entirety, 10 plots after recovery are larger than 75m2 but are distorted and difficult to arrange housing, and must be arranged for resettlement or compensated with land, 8 plots will not be recovered in their entirety but will be affected in terms of housing.

According to Mr. Le, it is estimated that 110 resettlement plots must be arranged, but the project progress is only implemented within 2 years, which is difficult to implement.

"The entire route is 3.5km long, we have completed the site clearance and handed over all agricultural land to the construction unit. There is currently 1.2km of residential land left, including about 110 households that need to be resettled," said Mr. Le.

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Hundreds of households in Thach Dai commune need resettlement land. Photo: TL

According to Mr. Le, the reason why 100% of the land cannot be handed over is due to the slow land price determination and the time it takes to determine the unit to appraise and approve the construction of the resettlement area.

Mr. Le said that according to regulations, land recovery is carried out after handing over resettlement land in the field to people subject to resettlement, so it is necessary to invest in building resettlement areas before land recovery.

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The project is unfinished due to land clearance problems. Photo: TL

Slow approval of resettlement projects

In November 2023, the Ha Tinh Land Fund Development and Geotechnical Center submitted a report to the Department of Construction for appraisal of the feasibility study report. However, due to many procedures and comments from relevant departments and agencies, the project's resettlement area has not yet been approved.

"To build a resettlement area, we have to submit about 60 procedural steps to the Provincial People's Committee. Currently, we have only completed about 20 steps, and 40 more steps are still being implemented...", Mr. Le said.

According to Mr. Le, the change in compensation policy for garden land adjacent to residential land also encountered some difficulties. "Previously, garden land would be compensated 50%, but according to the new law, garden land will not be compensated. If garden land is not compensated, households will not agree because it greatly affects their rights. The province is focusing on directing the removal of difficulties in this regard," said Mr. Le.

According to Mr. Le, regarding the roadmap, the Ha Tinh Provincial Traffic Construction Investment Project Management Board and the Department of Planning and Investment have submitted a summary report requesting the Provincial People's Committee to extend the progress of the Ham Nghi Road project. The Land Fund Development Center is making efforts to complete compensation and site clearance for the remaining area so that the project can continue construction.

It is expected that by June 2025, after the contractor selection is completed, construction of the resettlement area for the Ham Nghi extended road project will begin.

"According to the plan, the site handover will be completed by October 2025; the entire project will be completed by June 2026," said Mr. Le.