Chau Doc-Can Tho-Soc Trang Expressway lacks sand, slow progress

(Chinhphu.vn) - The Chau Doc-Can Tho-Soc Trang expressway project is being implemented by contractors with great efforts to basically complete the entire route by 2026 as planned.

According to the report of the Ministry of Transport, at the 3rd Session, the 15th National Assembly passed Resolution No. 60/2022/QH15 dated June 16, 2022 deciding on the investment policy for the Chau Doc - Can Tho - Soc Trang expressway construction investment project, phase 1.

The Chau Doc-Can Tho-Soc Trang expressway is divided into 4 component projects and assigned to the People's Committees of An Giang, Can Tho, Hau Giang, and Soc Trang provinces and cities as the competent agencies to organize the implementation of the project investment, ensuring the basic required progress of completing the entire route in 2026 and completing and putting the entire project into synchronous operation in 2027.

As a specialized management ministry, the Ministry has recently GTVT has closely coordinated with localities, organized inspections, urged investors and contractors to speed up progress, and proposed solutions to remove difficulties arising during project implementation.

With the strong direction of the Prime Minister, the close coordination of ministries, branches, and the efforts of localities, investors and contractors, the project has achieved certain results so far (site clearance and resettlement work reached 99%, construction volume reached about 30%...).

Slow progress compared to the plan
However, the progress of the Chau Doc-Can Tho-Soc Trang expressway is still behind schedule due to a shortage of sand materials for roadbed construction (only about 23 million m3/total project demand of about 29 million m3 has been identified).

Currently, localities are speeding up the procedures for granting mining licenses and reviewing and supplementing the missing sand sources, while considering the option of using sea sand in Soc Trang province to build roadbeds. In the coming time, the Ministry of Transport said that it will continue to closely coordinate with localities to focus on removing difficulties and obstacles in the source of construction materials, and at the same time urge investors and contractors to develop a construction plan to compensate for the slow work items of the Chau Doc-Can Tho-Soc Trang Expressway Project to meet the progress and quality requirements of the Government, soon complete, put the project into operation, promote investment efficiency, reduce pressure on traffic volume on National Highway 91.

It is known that the Chau Doc - Can Tho - Soc Trang Expressway runs along the horizontal axis of the Mekong Delta region. When completed, it will shorten the travel time from An Giang to Ho Chi Minh City, and at the same time help the Mekong Delta no longer depend heavily on Ho Chi Minh City for exporting goods to other places. The Chau Doc - Can Tho - Soc Trang Expressway will be connected to Tran De Port, which is planned to have a clearance capacity of about 50 - 55 million tons/year by 2030, and is expected to reach 130 - 150 million tons/year by 2050. When completed, it will play the role of a gateway port, a driving force for the development of the Mekong Delta, and transit import and export goods to Cambodia and the Mekong sub-region countries. The Chau Doc-Can Tho-Soc Trang Expressway project has a total length of 188.2km, passing through 4 provinces and cities, with a 4-lane investment scale and a preliminary total investment of 44,691 billion VND. The project progress is basically completed in 2026 and the entire project is put into operation in 2027.

The project is divided into 4 independently operated component projects, of which Component Project 1 is managed by An Giang province, with a length of about 57km and a preliminary total investment of VND 13,799 billion. Component Project 2 is managed by Can Tho city, with a length of about 37.4km and a preliminary total investment of VND 9,845 billion. Component Project 3 is managed by Hau Giang province, with a length of about 6.7km and a preliminary total investment of VND 9,927 billion. Component Project 4 is managed by Soc Trang province, with a length of about 58.4km and a preliminary total investment of VND 11,120 billion.

Source: Government Electronic Newspaper