Resolving the issue of leveling materials

A shortage of leveling materials is a major difficulty for construction contractors in Hai Duong.

Contractors fear losses.

The project to renovate and upgrade Provincial Road 395 (section from km16+750 to km23+920) aims to implement the general urban development plan of Binh Giang until 2030, with a vision to 2045. The road is designed as a Class III road in a flat area, with a design speed of 60 km/hour. It is estimated that the entire project will use approximately 150,000 m³ of sand, 70,000 m³ of soil, and 30,000 m³ of crushed stone.

“All the sand used for leveling the ground for the project had to be purchased from Ha Nam and Phu Tho provinces, and the hill soil was mainly bought from Bac Giang … Due to the long transportation distance, the price of sand arriving at the construction site rose to 190,000 VND/m3, an increase of about 50% compared to the approved estimate,” said Mr. Bui Thanh An, Chief Accountant of Phuong Hoang Construction and Trading Joint Stock Company, the contractor for the project.

The upgrading and expansion of Provincial Road 395, situated on complex terrain, requires a large quantity of sand and fill soil, but the supply is difficult, causing delays in the project.

Construction on the upgrade of Provincial Road 395 began in November 2023, but work had to be halted for three months due to difficulties with leveling materials. “We are currently maximizing our workforce and equipment, and coordinating closely with the investor to complete the remaining electrical infrastructure to accelerate the upgrade of Provincial Road 395 according to the contract. Construction costs to date indicate that this contract may result in a loss,” shared Mr. Bui Danh Bien, Director of Phuong Hoang Construction and Trading Joint Stock Company.

The Hai Duong province's East-West arterial road project, spanning over 36 km through Thanh Mien, Ninh Giang, and Tu Ky districts, was under intensive construction from July 2022 to early 2024 with the participation of numerous contractors. Similar to the general situation at many construction sites in the province, at times, several contract packages experienced delays of 2-3 months compared to the planned schedule. Shortages of construction materials and sudden price increases put contractors at risk of incurring losses. The prolonged project duration also led to a series of other costs such as labor and project management expenses.

The main reason for this situation is the difficulty in supplying leveling materials. According to representatives of major contractors such as Hai Duong Embankment and Rural Development Construction Joint Stock Company, Bach Dang Construction and Investment Development Joint Stock Company - Da Nang , Falcon Vietnam Joint Stock Company, etc., even during peak construction periods, material suppliers can only provide 50-60% of the actual needs of the construction site. In addition, the construction season, which is usually concentrated at the end of the year, also contributes to the scarcity of leveling materials and drives up prices significantly.

"Due to high demand and limited supply, material prices fluctuate greatly, exceeding the prices contractors are paid. Many construction sites have sufficient capital but are still struggling to purchase enough materials to ensure construction progress," said Mr. Le Anh Tuan, Deputy Director of the Provincial Investment and Construction Project Management Board.

How do I remove it?

Shortages of construction materials and soaring prices are putting contractors at risk of incurring losses on projects.

Within the scope of management of the Provincial Investment and Construction Project Management Board, in 2024, 52 projects were allocated capital, including many investment projects for the construction of transportation infrastructure such as the Tan An, Cay, and Van bridges and access roads; the North-South arterial road in Thanh Mien district and the section of road 394B connecting with road 395; the interchange connecting National Highway 17B with Highway 5 and the Hanoi-Hai Phong railway; the bypass road for National Highway 37 through Gia Loc town…

“The fill materials used for transportation projects must typically be hill soil and sand with clear origins and complete documentation… However, there are currently no operating sand mines in Hai Duong province, and the supply of hill soil is limited. Furthermore, the extracted hill soil must undergo screening to ensure it meets the quality standards for use in construction projects,” Mr. Le Anh Tuan added.

According to representatives from the Department of Construction, the estimated demand for leveling materials throughout the province is over 102 million m3 during the 2021-2025 period and will increase to 219 million m3 by 2030. To contribute to increasing the supply of leveling materials, the department has also advised the Provincial People's Committee to approve the replacement of sand and soil for leveling in some industrial zones such as Dai An Expansion and Phuc Dien Expansion… with thermal power plant fly ash from Pha Lai Thermal Power Plant and Hai Duong BOT Thermal Power Plant, at approximately 2 million m3/year.

Thanks to the timely replacement with thermal power plant fly ash, the Phuc Dien expanded industrial park has been able to level the ground quickly, facilitating land allocation for investors to build factories.

“Thanks to the timely replacement with thermal power plant fly ash, we were able to accelerate the land leveling process and successfully sign lease contracts for over 100 hectares of land with 12 investors, which is about 70% of the land area leased for production and business,” said Ms. Dinh Thi Loan, General Director of Trung Quy Bac Ninh Investment Joint Stock Company, the investor of the Phuc Dien expanded industrial park infrastructure.

The Department of Natural Resources and Environment, in collaboration with other relevant agencies, has developed a plan for the protection, exploration, exploitation, and utilization of mineral resources in Hai Duong province for the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050, integrated into the Hai Duong Provincial Planning for the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050. Mr. Nguyen Trac Trung, Deputy Director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, reported that in 2023, Hai Duong successfully auctioned the mining rights for 5 mines with reserves of approximately 12.296 million m3 of common construction materials. Prior to that, 3 mines were supplying leveling materials to the market with reserves of 2.81 million m3. The Department of Natural Resources and Environment is continuing to coordinate with relevant units to complete the procedures for auctioning the mining rights for the Dai Bo hillside mine, covering an area of ​​45.455 hectares with an estimated reserve of 16.09 million m3 in Chi Linh City. The province still has 4 hillside soil mines: Hang Ho, Ong Sao, Vong Vat, and Ho Da (all in Chi Linh City) with reserves of approximately 13.2 million m3, which will be put up for auction after the mines close.

"Although hill soil is used as leveling material, it is considered a mineral, so the procedures for granting mining permits are quite complex, lengthy, and prone to difficulties. It is crucial that relevant levels and sectors focus on resolving these issues," said Mr. Nguyen Nam Thanh, representative of the unit that recently won the auction for the right to exploit a soil mine in the Ong Sao hill area.

JACKIE CHAN

Source: https://baohaiduong.vn/giai-bai-toan-khan-hiem-vat-lieu-san-lap-tai-hai-duong-the-nao-388751.html