Reaffirming determination to open Dong Dang - Tra Linh expressway by the end of December 2025

The members of the Project Steering Committee are determined to speed up the progress of the Dong Dang - Tra Linh Expressway construction investment project.

The Steering Committee of the Dong Dang (Lang Son) – Tra Linh (Cao Bang) Expressway Construction Investment Project recently held a meeting in Hanoi to discuss solutions to speed up the project's progress, the implementation plan for phase 2 and connecting routes as directed by the Prime Minister.

Together we perceive, together we act

The meeting was chaired by Cao Bang Provincial Party Secretary Quan Minh Cuong - Head of the Steering Committee for the Investment and Construction Project. Also attending the meeting were Mr. Vu Hong Quang - Standing Deputy Secretary; Mr. Be Thanh Tinh - Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Council, Head of the Provincial Propaganda and Mass Mobilization Committee; Mr. Le Hai Hoa - Chairman of the Cao Bang Provincial People's Committee; Mr. Ho Minh Hoang - Deputy Head of the Project Steering Committee, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Deo Ca Group (head of the consortium of investors in phase 1), along with members of the Steering Committee and the Working Group.

Speaking at the opening of the meeting, Mr. Quan Minh Cuong once again affirmed the high determination of the Government , local authorities, the consortium of investors and contractors in bringing the Project to basic operation on December 19, 2025, although this is an "extremely challenging" goal.

According to Mr. Quan Minh Cuong, the success of the Dong Dang - Tra Linh Expressway Construction Investment Project in the coming period depends directly on the coordinated efforts and synchronous implementation of all parties.

The Cao Bang Provincial Party Secretary requested the entire local political system to resolutely support investors; contractors also need to apply scientific and methodical construction methods, speed up progress but ensure safety and quality of the project.

The Project Steering Committee Head also warned of potential risks related to policy mechanisms, upcoming floods and rains, and delays in capital disbursement that would affect construction progress. He suggested that the government and investors share a unified understanding, act together, and urgently develop scenarios to respond to challenging situations, in order to speed up progress.

"The flood season is coming, all parties need to review resources and plan scenarios to avoid being caught off guard," Mr. Quan Minh Cuong directed.

According to the report of the Working Group, to complete the route opening target in 2025, investors, project enterprises, and construction contractors mobilized personnel, machinery and equipment, and deployed over 200 construction sites with a total of 1,428 machines and equipment; a total of 3,228 personnel (engineers and workers) simultaneously approached and organized construction day and night on the handed-over land segments.

The cumulative output to date has reached about 3,000/10,438 billion VND (equivalent to 30.05% of the contract value). Regarding site clearance, to date, localities have handed over to the Project 784.75/825.91 hectares (equivalent to 98.19%) according to the technical design documents.

Of which, Cao Bang province handed over 362.34/367.5 hectares, reaching 98.60%; Lang Son province handed over 448.63/458.41 hectares, reaching 97.87%. In June 2025, the authorities of Cao Bang and Lang Son provinces committed to hand over the entire site to the Project.

Currently, local authorities are actively coordinating with project enterprises to complete site clearance (additional) according to the technical design step's dossier boundary, organize appraisal, submit for approval of plans, cost estimates for compensation and resettlement support; and propagate and mobilize households to promptly hand over residential land.

Mr. Ho Minh Hoang, Deputy Head of Project Steering Committee

Mr. Ho Minh Hoang, Deputy Head of the Project Steering Committee, spoke.

Harmonious benefits, shared risks

“The desire of the Party and State leaders, the desire of the people to soon complete a safe, modern road connecting to the revolutionary homeland at the border of the Fatherland is also our desire. If completed early, people will have a highway to travel on, and businesses will soon be able to collect tolls to recover capital. Regarding the responsibility for managing the quality of the project, regardless of the state's regulations of 24 months or following the practice of other businesses of 10 years, but the investment and construction project will be exploited for 22 years, we will be responsible for the warranty for that period of time” - Mr. Ho Minh Hoang - Chairman of the Board of Directors of Deo Ca Group

At the meeting, delegates focused on discussing the construction status; difficulties and obstacles in the implementation process, plans to build rest stops, and some key tasks to implement the Dong Dang - Tra Linh Expressway Construction Investment Project Phase 2.

According to the signed Project contract, the project completion time is December 2026. However, for the common good, the investor reported that the progress was shortened by nearly 10 months according to the Prime Minister's direction to "ensure the route is open" in 2025.

To achieve this goal, all parties involved, from investors to contractors and management agencies, need to agree on the spirit of "harmonized benefits and shared risks" as directed by the Prime Minister.

Specifically, the parties involved must make efforts and try together to resolve problems such as: dumping sites; site; labor and material costs increasing compared to estimates.

“When the signed completion schedule changes according to the State’s requirements and also the people’s wishes, to implement it, investors must contribute capital faster, contractors must mobilize more resources to work overtime, and the price of materials will increase. No one has discussed the resolution of the current risks, but we still do it and request continued consideration to resolve them,” Mr. Ho Minh Hoang frankly pointed out.

Referring to the construction plan in the rainy season and the route opening deadline of only 6 months, the Chairman of Deo Ca Group affirmed that, along with speeding up progress and ensuring quality, it is necessary to strictly comply with legal regulations on investment to avoid being "caught" when an incident occurs or because the auditors often only consider responsibility without considering the instructions of superiors to shorten progress - shorten the process.

With unusual weather developments, the project's opening in 2025 will be a big challenge for Cao Bang province and Deo Ca Group.

Regarding the implementation of phase 2 of the Project, the Grassroots Appraisal Council and the Department of Construction of Cao Bang province are currently appraising the adjustment of the investment policy, expected to approve the adjustment of the investment policy before June 20, 2025 and approve the construction investment project before June 30, 2025.

For investment in rest stops, local authorities and contractors need to apply flexible and "reasonable" coordination to create consensus with the local community.

According to Mr. Le Hai Hoa - Chairman of Cao Bang Provincial People's Committee, up to this point, the construction investment project has recorded very positive results, but the workload is still very heavy.

With the spirit of "only discussing work, not retreating", Mr. Le Hai Hoa suggested that all parties sit down together to resolve difficulties, make the most of construction time, strictly comply with legal regulations, not let negativity happen, not take advantage of work for personal gain and not be subjective and willful.

Concluding the meeting, Provincial Party Secretary Quan Minh Cuong highly appreciated the efforts of authorities at all levels and contractors, who demonstrated high political determination and drastic and effective actions. However, compared to the target of opening the route by the end of 2025, the remaining time is very limited.

Regarding site clearance, Mr. Quan Minh Cuong requested that Thach An and Quang Hoa districts complete all this work by June 2025, and at the same time achieve maximum consensus from the people.

Regarding material sources, he requested the Cao Bang Department of Agriculture and Environment to make maximum use of specific mechanisms and policies to increase mining capacity to serve the project, while ensuring safety for workers and surrounding people.

Regarding the second phase of the project, the Cao Bang Provincial Party Secretary affirmed that construction will definitely start on August 19, 2025, this is a direct political request from the Prime Minister. All related procedures need to be completed and resolved on schedule so as not to delay the overall plan.

Regarding construction activities, Secretary Quan Minh Cuong required contractors to mobilize maximum machinery and human resources while strictly complying with regulations on labor safety and construction quality.

“Only political determination combined with scientific methods, strict adherence to procedures and mutual understanding and sharing can bring the modern expressway to the finish line on time, contributing to promoting the socio-economic development of Cao Bang province,” Mr. Quan Minh Cuong emphasized.

At the 2025 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders (June 10, 2025), the Chairman of Deo Ca Group affirmed that for the PPP ++ construction investment projects implemented by Deo Ca Group, investors who are also contractors must commit to jointly take responsibility for the quality of the project and warranty the project throughout its life cycle. Enterprises need to take responsibility for the work and each item they construct when the investment capital has been contributed, and the construction warranty costs will be retained by the construction investment project enterprise to ensure the commitment to the warranty period.