Accelerate implementation of Dau Giay - Lien Khuong Expressway projects

​The Dau Giay - Lien Khuong Expressway Project, when completed, will synchronously connect with the Ho Chi Minh City - Long Thanh - Dau Giay Expressway.

Striving to start construction of 2 expressways in 2023

The Dau Giay - Lien Khuong Expressway with a total length of 220km has been approved by the Prime Minister in the road network planning for the period 2021 - 2030, with a vision to 2050.

According to the investment plan, the Dau Giay - Lien Khuong Expressway construction project is divided into 3 component including: Dau Giay - Tan Phu; Tan Phu - Bao Loc and Bao Loc - Lien Khuong. Among the 3 component projects, there are 2 component projects including Dau Giay - Tan Phu and Tan Phu - Bao Loc passing through the province.

For the construction investment project of the phase 1 Dau Giay - Tan Phu Expressway, currently, the Ministry of Transport has submitted to the Government for approval the investment policy in the form of Public-Private Partnership (PPP). According to the road network plan for the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050, the Dau Giay - Tan Phu Expressway has a length of nearly 60km, a scale of 4 lanes, and a design speed of 100 km per hour. The total investment of the project is more than VND8.3 thousand billion. Meanwhile, the construction investment project of Tan Phu - Bao Loc Expressway has been assigned by the Government to Lam Dong Provincial People's Committee as the competent state agency to implement.

According to the proposal of Lam Dong Provincial People's Committee, the project has a total length of more than 66km. The project is invested in phases to reach a minimum road size of 13.5 m (2 lanes for cars and 2 lanes for emergency stops). The completed phase will invest in a 22m wide road with 4 lanes for cars and 2 lanes for emergency stops. The total estimated investment of the project is more than VND16.2 trillion.

On June 25, the Government Office issued Notice No. 184/TB-VPCP the conclusion of Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh at the meeting on reviewing the implementation progress of expressway projects. Tan Phu (Dong Nai Province) - Bao Loc (Lam Dong Province), Bao Loc - Lien Khuong under the PPP mode and the project of upgrading and expanding Prenn Pass in Lam Dong Province.

Accordingly, in order to ensure compliance with legal regulations and soon implement investment and construction of component projects of the Dau Giay - Lien Khuong Expressway, Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh requested the Ministry of Transport and the Lam Dong Provincial People's Committee is responsible for the implementation of component projects, closely coordinating with ministries, branches, localities and the Inter-sectoral Appraisal Council in reviewing, explaining and completing documents. Pre-feasibility study reports of projects in accordance with the law, ensuring that all conditions are met for the Prime Minister to approve investment policies. After the project was approved for investment policy, the Ministry of Transport and Lam Dong Provincial People's Committee organized the implementation of procedures in accordance with the law, striving to start the Dau Giay - Tan Phu and Tan Phu - Bao Loc section in the second quarter of 2023 and complete the projects in 2026.

Implement procedures for forest use purpose conversion

According to Notice No. 184, in the past time, ministries, branches and localities have tried to coordinate and implement the preparation for investment in component projects of the Dau Giay - Lien Khuong Expressway Project according to the legal regulations, the procedures have been basically completed. However, one of the obstacles in completing investment procedures for the Dau Giay - Tan Phu and Tan Phu - Bao Loc Expressway projects is the conversion of forest use purposes within the scope of projects implementation.

For Dong Nai Province, on April 15, 2022, the Provincial People's Council passed Resolution No. 05/NQ-HDND on the decision on the policy of changing the forest use purpose to another purpose to implement 5 projects in the area. In particular, for the two expressway projects Dau Giay - Tan Phu and Tan Phu - Bao Loc, the area of ​​forests of all kinds that need to be converted to use purposes is nearly 40ha.

On June 20, 2022, the Provincial People's Committee also made a decision on organizing the implementation of Resolution 05 of the Provincial People's Council. At the same time, the Provincial People's Committee also assigned the People's Committees of Dinh Quan and Tan Phu districts to implement the resolution for 2 expressway projects passing through the area.

Chairman of Dinh Quan District People's Committee said that National Highway No. 20 is the main external traffic route of Dinh Quan District. However, over the years, this highway has become overloaded due to high traffic volume, especially on weekends. Therefore, the situation of traffic jams on National Highway No. 20, the section passing through Dinh Quan District area, is also more serious. Therefore, the early completion of the Dau Giay - Lien Khuong Expressway project has great significance for the socio-economic development of the locality.

For the conversion of forest use purposes to implement the project, the authorities have also worked with the locality and the forest owner, the Tan Phu Protection Forest Management Board, and conducted measure and determine the boundary of the forest area to be converted to serve the project. “The locality has also mobilized people to well abide by the state's policy in project implementation. The locality also pledged to support and create all conditions for the project to start soon.”

Similarly, Tan Phu District authorities are also finalizing work related to planning adjustment and conversion of forest use purposes to serve the project implementation. “National Highway No. 20 is the main traffic route serving the travel and freight needs of people in the district, however, this route is currently overloaded. Therefore, the district government as well as the people are looking forward to the construction of the Dau Giay - Lien Khuong Expressway Project soon," said Mr. Nguyen Huu Ky, Chairman of Tan Phu District People's Committee.

Phan Anh