Decisive Actions to Improve the Progress of Key Projects

​After a prolonged delay in the progress of many key projects, the disbursement rate of public investment capital in Dong Nai province remains lower than the national average. Recently, the provincial leadership has taken decisive and practical actions, demonstrating responsibility and commitment to actions for the common development. ​

Construction of the Thong Nhat Bridge under the central axis road project in Bien Hoa City 

The province has focused on expediting land clearance with clear delegation of responsibilities, timelines, and outcomes. Efforts are being made to complete infrastructure for resettlement areas urgently. The province has reinforced discipline and accountability, particularly for leaders in the disbursement of public investment capital. Monitoring, supervision, and immediate resolution of bottlenecks in each key project are among the solutions that Dong Nai is emphasizing through specific and determined actions.

Resolving Land Clearance Obstacles

To accelerate progress, eight out of 25 key projects in Dong Nai province are currently being implemented in a "rolling" manner, concurrently conducting land clearance and construction.

A prominent project facing delays and unresolved challenges in land clearance is the Bien Hoa – Vung Tau Expressway construction project. Approximately 230 out of 290 hectares of land required for the project have been handed over by related localities.

Despite difficulties, the province is urgently accelerating land clearance and construction progress for Component 1 of the project. Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, Vo Tan Duc, stated that for the Bien Hoa – Vung Tau Expressway project, the locality will resolve all issues and hand over 100% of the land by December 2024.

In terms of construction progress, the segment passing through the province is expected to be completed by the end of April 2026. The Provincial Department of Transport is working with investors and contractors to enforce measures such as reminders, replacements, and penalties for contractors who delay key projects, particularly the Bien Hoa – Vung Tau Expressway.

Apart from the Bien Hoa – Vung Tau Expressway, Dong Nai is also implementing three other national key infrastructure projects. For the Long Thanh Airport project, the land for the entire project and the construction sites for the two connecting roads (T1 and T2) has been handed over. For the Ho Chi Minh City – Ring Road 3 project, the province will hand over all land by December 2024 and complete construction by the end of April 2026.

As for the Ben Luc – Long Thanh Expressway project, the province has fully handed over the land to the investor. Land clearance has long been a persistent challenge for Dong Nai in critical traffic projects. Current projects facing similar issues include the road connecting Phuoc An Port, upgrades and expansions of Provincial Roads 769 and 773, the construction of Provincial Road 770B, and upgrades to Provincial Roads 25B and 25C.

Chairman Vo Tan Duc has instructed local governments to pay closer attention to land clearance and compensation tasks. A set of synchronized solutions has been emphasized, including increasing dialogue, public communication, and mobilization of public support for state policies; proposing investments in resettlement areas for projects; and strengthening personnel with adequate expertise.

To address these bottlenecks in key projects, the provincial leadership has decided to delegate certain tasks from provincial-level agencies to local authorities under the principle that whichever unit performs more effectively will take charge of the specialized work to maximize capacity and responsibility. 

Recently, the provincial authority assigned the Department of Planning and Investment to propose transferring all compensation, support, and resettlement tasks for the central axis road project in Bien Hoa City from the Provincial Land Development Center to the Bien Hoa City People's Committee by December 10. The Bien Hoa City People's Committee is responsible for resolving all remaining cases within 2024.

The central axis road project in Bien Hoa City spans over 5.4 kilometers, with a total investment of more than 1,500 billion VND. Construction began in early 2023. However, delays in land handover have caused the project's progress to lag by approximately 500 days compared to its original timeline.

Leaders Directly Engage on Site

Since the Bien Hoa City Party Committee prioritized leadership and direction for the urgent task of land clearance for key traffic projects and resettlement, significant progress has been made in key urban infrastructure projects, opening new development spaces.

For example, the Dong Nai Riverbank Road and Embankment project, spanning 5.2 kilometers, has seen active involvement from top local leadership, who have frequently inspected construction sites and pushed progress. Coordination among units has ended prolonged stagnation, and land clearance for over 500 affected households has been completed. Currently, 85% of the embankment construction and over 65% of the riverside road construction have been completed.

During a recent field inspection, Bien Hoa City Party Secretary Ho Van Nam and City People's Committee Chairman Nguyen Phong An, dissatisfied with construction progress, emphasized the need for all parties involved to concentrate resources, extend work hours during the dry season, and set specific milestones for the coming period. They aim to complete the embankment construction and foundational work for remaining road sections before the Lunar New Year of 2025. Early completion of the project will not only align with the 2024 public investment disbursement plan but also serve as a tribute to the 50th anniversary of Southern liberation and national reunification on April 30, 2025, as well as the Bien Hoa City Party Congress for the 2025-2030 term.

While not overstepping its authority, the Bien Hoa City Party Standing Committee has actively engaged with affected residents, gaining high consensus and readiness for land handover for key city projects.

Notable successes include the Cai Riverbank Road involving land from Tan Mai Parish, the central axis road project involving land from Tinh Hoi Pagoda in Hiep Hoa Ward, and the Bien Hoa-Vung Tau Expressway involving land from Thien Binh Orphanage in Phuoc Tan Ward.

With strong determination in directing and managing land clearance and resettlement, the Bien Hoa city government has firmly enforced measures against households that have received compensation but refused to hand over land. For instance, in the Dong Nai Riverbank Road project (Buu Long Ward), after prolonged persuasion, authorities recently enforced land acquisition for 36 households, all of whom complied.

Chairman Vo Tan Duc has instructed localities and departments to implement comprehensive solutions to address delays affecting key projects. This includes evaluating contractors' capacities, identifying dump sites and material sources for projects, and updating and synchronizing various planning documents.

As of November 15, 2024, Dong Nai's public investment disbursement rate was just over 50% of the plan. Alarmingly, by November 31, six out of ten investor units under Task Force No. 2 of the Provincial People's Committee still reported a 0% disbursement rate.

To meet the 2024 public investment disbursement target, provincial leaders have urged investor units to fulfill their commitments to disburse 95-100% of allocated funds by year's end, racing against time to resolve bottlenecks and accelerate progress on each project.

Noting the significant waste caused by slow public investment disbursement, Dong Nai Provincial Party Secretary Nguyen Hong Linh, speaking at the November 12 conference on key projects, stressed the need for strong, decisive actions for each urgent project to meet timelines for the end of 2024, the 50^th Southern liberation anniversary, and the Provincial Party Congress. ​