Ensuring land clearance no longer a “bottleneck”

Dong Nai is being likened to a massive construction site, with a multitude of national and provincial infrastructure projects already underway, currently in progress, or planned for the future, including Long Thanh International Airport; the Dau Giay-Phan Thiet, Bien Hoa-Vung Tau, Ben Luc-Long Thanh, and Gia Nghia-Chon Thanh Expressways; Ring Roads No. 3 and No. 4 in Ho Chi Minh City; the Dong Nai riverside road; and the Ma Da Bridge and Cat Lai Bridge…

These projects have contributed, are contributing, and will continue to contribute to the development of a comprehensive and modern transport infrastructure system encompassing all five modes of transportation: air, rail, road, sea, and inland waterways. This integrated network will enhance regional connectivity, open up new development space, and increase the province’s competitiveness and investment appeal, thereby enabling Dong Nai to achieve rapid and sustainable growth and become a key growth engine of southern Vietnam. However, the implementation of these notable projects in the province over recent years has revealed several issues that need to be addressed, particularly in relation to land clearance.

Land clearance is a critical phase in the implementation of construction projects, particularly infrastructure works, as contractors cannot begin construction until a cleared site is available. However, land clearance has long been a challenging and sensitive issue, as it directly affects the rights and interests of households, individuals, organizations, and businesses. It touches on matters of land, housing, resettlement, livelihoods, and even the cultural, social, and psychological well-being of local communities. If not handled properly, land clearance can encounter serious obstacles, cause project delays, and even lead to complaints, lawsuits, and a loss of public trust.

In recent years, Dong Nai has implemented a range of comprehensive and resolute measures to accelerate land clearance for key projects, particularly the mega-project of Long Thanh International Airport. In addition to proactively reviewing and verifying land-related documents and procedures, the province has focused on arranging resettlement areas, providing vocational training and job transition support, and, notably, holding dialogues with affected residents to gain a deeper understanding of their thoughts, concerns, and aspirations, thereby fostering social consensus. For the Long Thanh Airport project alone, thousands of households have been relocated to newly built, well-equipped resettlement areas and are gradually stabilizing their lives. The province’s efforts in offering vocational training and job placement for those who gave up their land for the project have yielded relatively positive results. These are commendable efforts, reflecting the local government’s receptiveness and willingness to listen to the people.

While positive results have been achieved, land clearance in the province has continued to face significant challenges. Several key projects have been delayed in site handover due to obstacles in determining land origins, compensation pricing, slow resettlement arrangements, and insufficiently consistent and close communication with residents in the locality. These issues have caused delays in land clearance, affecting construction progress, increasing investment costs, and pushing back project completion and operation timelines.

At a meeting on November 6 regarding preparations for major transport infrastructure projects in the province, Ho Van Ha, Member of the Provincial Party Committee and Vice Chairman of the Dong Nai Provincial People’s Committee, issued a firm directive to departments, agencies, units, and local authorities to put an end to the situation of “a start date with no end date” in land clearance work.

It is hoped that with the resolute leadership and direction of the provincial authorities, land clearance will no longer remain a “bottleneck” hindering project progress in the province in the time ahead. This endeavor would help lay a strong foundation for key projects to operate effectively and contribute to the province’s overall development.

By Pham Mai – Translated by Thu Cuc, Minho