Prime Minister issues order to start construction of first horizontal expressway in Mekong Delta

On the morning of June 17, the construction project of the Chau Doc - Can Tho - Soc Trang expressway, phase 1, officially began. This is a national key project, the first horizontal expressway in the Mekong Delta, connecting the region with the national expressway system.

The ceremony was held in person combined with online connection at 4 points: An Giang, Can Tho, Soc Trang and Hau Giang . Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh attended and gave the order to start the project at the An Giang point.

Speaking at the ceremony, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized that the investment in the Chau Doc - Can Tho - Soc Trang expressway is a step to concretize the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress, the Party and State's guidelines and policies on infrastructure development and socio -economic development, ensuring national defense and security in the Mekong Delta - a region with a heroic revolutionary tradition and great development potential but very limited transport infrastructure.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh speaks at the ceremony (Photo: VGP).

With large capacity, high speed and safety, the project will contribute to meeting transportation needs, creating spillover, motivation and space for regional socio-economic development; effectively exploiting vertical routes, creating favorable conditions to connect economic centers in the region, seaports and international border gates, promoting the circulation of goods and developing economic zones and industrial parks in the region; gradually forming a connecting axis, trade and socio-economic development between Vietnam and the countries of the Mekong sub-region.

The Prime Minister highly appreciated and commended the efforts and sense of responsibility of the Ministry of Transport, the People's Committees of the provinces and cities of An Giang, Can Tho, Hau Giang, Soc Trang and related ministries, sectors, project management boards, and consulting units for their efforts and determination in carrying out a huge amount of work to start the project.

In order for the project to be completed safely, with quality, meeting the schedule and investment efficiency, the Prime Minister requested the People's Committees of the provinces and cities of An Giang, Can Tho, Hau Giang, and Soc Trang to focus on directing and requiring the Project Management Board, supervision consultants, and contractors to promote the highest sense of responsibility, develop a scientific, detailed, and appropriate construction plan and method, ensuring efficiency, construction quality, and organizing safe and smooth traffic.

At the same time, it is necessary to mobilize human resources and modern machinery and equipment for construction; strictly comply with technical requirements and legal regulations related to construction, environment, safety, and prevent corruption, negativity, and waste that cause loss of state assets.

In particular, localities must properly exercise the authority and responsibility of the investment decision maker according to current regulations in organizing the implementation of decentralized component projects, ensuring quality and progress.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and delegates pressed the button to start the project (Photo: VGP).

The Prime Minister requested the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and relevant ministries and branches to closely coordinate with the People's Committees of the four provinces and cities to continue to create favorable conditions, promptly remove difficulties and obstacles, and ensure security and order so that the Project Management Board and contractors can ensure progress and efficiency.

An Giang province and other provinces with mineral mines for construction materials shall proactively prioritize the supply of sand for the project. The People's Committees of provinces and cities shall promptly complete the procedures for granting licenses to exploit construction material mines for project contractors in a quick, convenient and legal manner.

The People's Committees of the four provinces and cities where the project passes through urgently speed up the work of compensation, support, resettlement, and relocation of remaining technical infrastructure works to meet the construction site requirements of the project. In the immediate future, 70% of the construction site area of the construction packages will be handed over; the remaining area of the entire project must be completed and handed over before December 31, 2023.

The Prime Minister emphasized the need to pay attention to compensation, resettlement, and support for production stabilization so that people have new housing and new jobs that are at least equal to and better than their old housing; and requested that people fully support the Party and State's policy on the construction of the Chau Doc - Can Tho - Soc Trang expressway and promptly hand over land to facilitate the project's construction.

The Prime Minister requested to urgently review and adjust socio-economic development plans, link planning of economic zones, industrial parks, urban and residential areas, etc. with highways, and effectively exploit land use on both sides of the highway to serve local socio-economic development.

The Prime Minister assigned the Ministry of Transport to coordinate with the Council for Inspection of Acceptance Work to organize inspections and supervise the implementation of investors, ensuring compliance with construction standards, ensuring quality and progress as required; coordinate with localities to guide the project implementation process to ensure synchronous and unified implementation; provide technical support, coordinate to remove difficulties and obstacles related to specialized technical issues (regulations, standards, technical solutions...).

The Prime Minister assigned An Giang province to study and implement the project of a road from Chau Doc to Tinh Bien border gate (An Giang) to connect from the border to the seaport in the spirit of the most direct and shortest route possible.

The Prime Minister affirmed that the Government will always pay attention and give strong direction to complete this project as well as other infrastructure development investment projects on schedule and with quality; meeting the needs of socio-economic development and improving people's lives.

Deputy Prime Minister Le Minh Khai and delegates pressed the button to launch the project at Soc Trang bridge (Photo: VGP).

The Chau Doc - Soc Trang - Can Tho Expressway Project Phase 1 has a total length of 188.2 km, passing through 4 provinces and cities: An Giang, Can Tho, Hau Giang and Soc Trang. The starting point connects to National Highway 91 in Chau Doc City, An Giang Province. The end point intersects with Nam Song Hau National Highway, connecting to the Tran De Port access road (Soc Trang).

The project has a total investment of 44,691 billion VND from the central and local budgets. In phase 1, the project will be invested in a 4-lane scale, with a design speed of 100 km/h. In the final phase, the project will be invested in a 6-lane scale.

According to the National Assembly's resolution on project investment policy, the Chau Doc - Can Tho - Soc Trang expressway project phase 1 will basically complete some sections with high traffic volume in 2025, basically complete the entire route in 2026 and complete and put the entire project into synchronous operation in 2027.

The project is divided into 4 component projects managed by 4 localities where the project passes through .

Source: https://www.nguoiduatin.vn/thu-tuong-phat-lenh-khoi-cong-cao-toc-truc-ngang-dau-tien-tai-dbscl-a613000.html