Tuyen Quang – Phu Tho Expressway Project: Information needs to be understood correctly

The Tuyen Quang - Phu Tho expressway project is of great significance to the socio- economic development of Tuyen Quang province.

Creating new development momentum for the Northern Midlands and Mountains region

The project is implemented in accordance with Resolution No. 11-NQ/TW dated February 10, 2022 of the Politburo on the direction of socio-economic development, ensuring national defense and security in the Northern Midlands and Mountains region until 2030, with a vision to 2045; Decision No. 2426/QD-TTg dated December 28, 2015 of the Prime Minister approving the adjustment of the master plan for socio-economic development of Tuyen Quang province until 2020, supplemented to 2025 and the Resolution of the Congress of Delegates of the Tuyen Quang Provincial Party Committee for the 2015-2020 term and the 2020-2025 term.

The project has a total investment of VND 3,753 billion, of which the central budget capital is VND 2,900 billion and the local budget capital is VND 853 billion. The project implementation period is from 2021 to 2025, and the Provincial People's Committee assigned the Project Management Board for Investment and Construction of Traffic Works of Tuyen Quang Province as the investor (now the Project Management Board for Investment and Construction of Works No. 1 of Tuyen Quang Province). The project started construction on August 10, 2021 and was completed and put into temporary operation on December 24, 2023.

After being invested in and constructed, the route will open up new development space, help expand regional connectivity, reduce the load on National Highway 2, create quick traffic connections between the region and Hanoi Capital and the key economic region of the Northern Delta; help Tuyen Quang province attract investment, exploit potential strengths in tourism, services, urban development, and trade; create favorable conditions to contribute to the early completion of the connecting traffic system to promote and effectively exploit the Ha Giang - Tuyen Quang - Phu Tho - Hanoi economic corridor, connecting the central sub-region with Hanoi Capital, gateway ports, the Red River Delta and the Southwest region of China according to the planning of the Northern Midlands and Mountains region for the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050 approved by the Prime Minister.

Although the project implementation encountered many difficulties and problems, compared to the original plan, the project was completed 2 years earlier and has promoted socio-economic efficiency, opened up new development space, expanded regional linkages, met the expectations of officials, party members and people of the two provinces of Tuyen Quang and Phu Tho in particular and the provinces in the Northern Midlands and Mountains region in general. Currently, the project is in stable use, promoting the efficiency of investment capital.

Seriously overcome existing problems, ensure investment efficiency

According to Inspection Conclusion No. 16/KL-TTr dated October 23, 2025 of Tuyen Quang Provincial Inspectorate on the comprehensive inspection of the Tuyen Quang - Phu Tho Expressway Construction Investment Project connecting with Noi Bai - Lao Cai Expressway, a number of shortcomings and limitations were pointed out in the design survey and estimate work; in the construction process; in the selection of contractors.

At the same time, the Inspection Conclusion also pointed out the causes of limitations and difficulties; the recommendations all clearly stated the goals of overcoming, completing the dossier, reducing costs and paying additional financial obligations. Accordingly, regarding costs: The total amount recommended by the Inspectorate to be reduced is the amount of uncompleted construction volume and miscalculated estimated volume (more than 52 billion VND). Regarding financial obligations: Contractors are required to declare and pay additional fees for granting mineral exploitation rights, resource taxes, and environmental protection fees (more than 20 billion VND). Regarding bidding: The main shortcomings are errors in form and procedures (such as 1 hour delay in opening bids, environmental dossier criteria not conforming to the form).

Tuyen Quang - Phu Tho expressway project ensures compliance with legal regulations on public investment.

Currently, there is some information about the Tuyen Quang - Phu Tho Expressway Construction Project using some language and data interpretation that can cause serious misunderstandings in public opinion, affecting the efforts of the investor and related units. Some information uses words such as "falsely declaring volume" and "a series of violations"; but according to Inspection Conclusion No. 16 of the Tuyen Quang Provincial Inspectorate, the entire content presented is "Limitations" and "defects" in professional practice such as: Incorrect calculation of volume, arithmetic and procedural errors (1 hour delay in opening bids). Therefore, it is necessary to understand the information about the project accurately, completely, and in its true nature.

According to Mr. Hoang Van Hai, Deputy Director of the Project Management Board of Construction Investment No. 1 of Tuyen Quang province, the unit has seriously accepted the entire content of the Conclusion of the Inspectorate of Tuyen Quang province and is currently urgently directing the implementation of the recommendations in the Inspection Conclusion. Regarding the total cost of the proposed deduction of more than 52 billion VND, this is a successful cost control activity of the state agency, the investor ensures that there is no loss of budget capital (in which the investor and the construction contractor have detected and proactively deducted 37.6 billion VND; while the Provincial Inspectorate detected and recommended a further deduction of 15.1 billion VND). Explaining this issue, according to Mr. Hai: At the time of inspection, the dossier had not been submitted for settlement because the contractors were completing the dossier, so the investor's review was not the last time before submitting for settlement approval. Regarding financial obligations, this is a measure to ensure correct and sufficient collection for the state budget, not a loss.

Conclusion of Inspection No. 16 also clearly stated: "During the process of implementing construction and accepting construction volume, the investor, construction contractor, and consulting contractors discovered and proactively reduced the contract volume value of the packages with a total amount of over 37.6 billion VND". This is the result of the self-review and cost management of the Project Management Board of Construction Investment Project No. 1 of Tuyen Quang province and the units, demonstrating responsibility in investment capital management, which has been recognized by the Inspection agency.

“Regarding the reduction of the contract volume value of the bidding packages, this is the volume in the design drawing documents, however, due to non-construction and non-acceptance of payment, it must be deducted according to the contract. This is a normal process in the project management process. In addition, some items were calculated incorrectly in the design, when the investor and the Inspector discovered it during the inspection, so there was no false declaration to withdraw money” - Mr. Hoang Van Hai, Deputy Director of the Project Management Board of Construction Investment No. 1 of Tuyen Quang province affirmed.

According to Mr. Hai, regarding the financial obligation of more than 20 billion VND, this is the obligation (mineral exploitation rights fee, resource tax, environmental protection fee) that the Inspection Conclusion determined that the construction contractors under-declared and violated the law on taxes and fees. This item is determined to ensure correct and full collection for the State Budget, this is not a loss of investment capital of the project. In essence, the incident is due to the units not fully declaring and paying taxes, fees and rights fees according to the actual volume of construction.

Up to now, the contract performance period of the bid packages is until December 31, 2025, therefore, the declaration and payment of tax and fee obligations to the State are still within the implementation period and have not violated the regulations. According to the Inspection Conclusion, it was also pointed out that at the time of inspection, the construction units had not fully performed the obligations to declare and pay taxes, fees, and mineral exploitation rights fees. The Management Board of Construction Investment Project No. 1 of Tuyen Quang province is performing the role of urging contractors to fully pay to the State Budget in accordance with the recommendations of the Provincial Inspectorate.

“Regarding the bidding content, the existing problems have been explained by the unit regarding the reasons for organization or necessity; the unit has been directing relevant units to organize reviews, overcome and handle the recommendations and conclusions of the Provincial Inspectorate regarding the Project,” Mr. Hai added.

It can be affirmed that the Tuyen Quang - Phu Tho Expressway Construction Project connecting Noi Bai - Lao Cai Expressway is the first expressway project implemented in Tuyen Quang province (passing through Tuyen Quang and Phu Tho provinces). This is a key project, playing a very important role and significance for the socio-economic development of Tuyen Quang province. During the implementation process, the Provincial Party Committee, People's Council, People's Committee, and Provincial Fatherland Front Committee regularly pay attention to directing relevant levels, branches, agencies, and units to focus resources, time, and progress; closely follow the Party's regulations, the State's laws, and the directives and instructions of the Central agencies, the State Steering Committee for important national projects and key projects of the Transport sector to find solutions to organize the implementation to ensure the progress and quality of the project; direct agencies, units, and localities to fully, strictly, and correctly comply with the legal regulations on public investment.

Kim Tien

Source: https://baotuyenquang.com.vn/xa-hoi/202511/du-an-cao-toc-tuyen-quang-phu-tho-thong-tin-can-duoc-hieu-dung-cd112ee/