Project delayed, responsibility unclear.

Currently, the Mekong Delta region is implementing 9 key national transportation projects with a total investment of approximately 106,000 billion VND; however, many key projects and works in the Mekong Delta have not yet been completed according to schedule.

Insufficient manpower, supplies, and materials were allocated.

After two delays (December 19, 2025 and January 1, 2026) as requested by the Prime Minister, the completion date of the Can Tho - Ca Mau expressway project, specifically the Hau Giang - Ca Mau section, remains uncertain by the investor and contractor. The project's progress continues to be delayed.

According to observations by reporters from SGGP newspaper in early January 2026, most of the access roads, intersections, and connecting routes of the project are still incomplete; some sections, fences, ITS cable conduits, lighting, sidewalks, concrete drainage ditches, and embankment slopes are still in disarray, but very few workers are on site. A site inspection on December 29, 2025, by a working group from the Ministry of Construction revealed that many contractors have not allocated sufficient manpower, materials, and supplies (traffic safety systems, asphalt concrete), leading to construction delays.

“Reading newspapers and watching TV, I saw the Prime Minister giving decisive instructions, and the investor and contractor committed to completing the project on time. However, the progress is constantly delayed, workers are working intermittently, and it's a huge waste of time,” said Mr. Danh Tan Bay (Ho Thi Ky commune, Ca Mau province, next to the project) indignantly. Regarding the Hau Giang - Ca Mau section of the Can Tho - Ca Mau expressway project, although it opened to traffic on December 22nd, some items such as road shoulders, water steps, and embankment reinforcement are still incomplete.

For the Chau Doc - Can Tho - Soc Trang expressway project, the progress of 3 component projects (2, 3 and 4) is also behind schedule. Specifically, for the 4 construction packages of component project 4, by the end of 2025, the total value of work completed only reached over 3,500 billion VND out of a total of 8,092 billion VND, equivalent to 44.1% of the contract value and approximately 10% behind schedule.

The Chau Doc - Can Tho - Soc Trang expressway construction project, specifically the section passing through Can Tho City, is behind schedule (photo taken on January 3).

The My An - Cao Lanh expressway project, phase 1, being constructed by the joint venture of Dongbu Corporation (South Korea) and Vietnam Construction and Engineering Investment Corporation (VNCN E&C), is also progressing very slowly, failing to meet the committed milestones as directed by the Ministry of Construction. Although construction commenced on July 26, 2025, the project's output to date is only approximately 14.7 billion VND.

On the construction site, the contractor deployed construction teams across 6 segments, but mainly focused on removing organic matter, building access roads, and constructing embankments. According to the planned construction schedule, the contractor has not yet mobilized the 5 excavators, 4 bulldozers, 4 dump trucks, and 8 rollers... as planned.

Explaining the delay, a construction supervision engineer (who wished to remain anonymous) working on the section passing through My An commune stated that there are many reasons, but mainly due to a shortage of construction materials and the local authorities not yet handing over sufficient land. Currently, the project is still facing obstacles at 25 locations/31 households, and notably, there are 65 locations where technical infrastructure has not yet been relocated.

Request to take action against incompetent contractors.

According to leaders of the Ministry of Construction, the Hau Giang - Ca Mau expressway project is behind schedule, and the Hau Giang - Ca Mau section has not been put into operation as planned because some contractors have not mobilized enough manpower, materials, and equipment. Specifically, contractors VNCN E&C, Thi Son, and Hai Dang have not implemented the project on schedule and have not fulfilled their commitments…

In light of the above situation, the Ministry of Construction has issued a document requesting the My Thuan Project Management Board (the project's investor) to take strong measures: consider terminating the contract, changing contractors; and reviewing the selection of these units in the evaluation process for participation in future bidding packages and projects under the Ministry of Construction's management…

Construction of the remaining components of the Hau Giang - Ca Mau expressway project is underway to prepare it for operation.
(PHOTO: TAN THAI)

Speaking to a reporter from SGGP newspaper about the reasons for the delays in the progress of component projects 2, 3, and 4 (Chau Doc - Can Tho - Soc Trang expressway project), Mr. Pham Minh Tri, Deputy Director of the Can Tho City Investment and Construction Project Management Board for Transportation and Agriculture (the project's investor), said there are two main reasons: a shortage of construction materials and some contractors having weak construction capabilities.

Regarding contractors with slow progress and weak capabilities, after reviewing the situation, the committee has so far cut the contracts of 3 contractors and transferred them to other contractors; at the same time, it has recommended that the People's Committee of Can Tho City consider taking strong action. Regarding the supply of construction materials, Mr. Pham Minh Tri said that the Chau Doc - Can Tho - Soc Trang expressway project passes through 3 localities (Hau Giang, Can Tho, Soc Trang), however, only Soc Trang has sand mines, but the reserves are very low and the sand quality is not good.

To ensure the progress of the Chau Doc - Can Tho - Soc Trang expressway project, the Can Tho City Investment and Construction Project Management Board for Transportation and Agriculture is seeking opinions from the Ministry of Construction and the provinces regarding the transfer of remaining sand from mines used for the Can Tho - Ca Mau expressway project to this project.

According to Mr. Ngo Thai Chan, Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Can Tho City, there are currently 9 licensed river sand mines in the area serving the construction of the Chau Doc - Can Tho - Soc Trang expressway project, with a total reserve of nearly 9 million cubic meters. However, only more than 2.5 million cubic meters have been extracted so far.

The total permitted capacity is an average of over 25,400 m3/day, but in reality, only about 10,000 m3/day is being extracted, equivalent to about 40% of the capacity. The Department is focusing on reviewing and organizing on-site inspections of units exploiting river sand mines in the area, serving the construction of the Chau Doc - Can Tho - Soc Trang expressway project. Units that fail to meet their licensed capacity or deliberately delay operations will have their licenses revoked by the Department.

Reporters' Team

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/du-an-tre-trach-nhiem-mo-post832465.html