Accelerating site clearance for a series of major infrastructure projects

Dong Nai is entering a phase of rapid development with a series of strategic infrastructure projects underway. Site clearance is a critical stage, decisive to project implementation progress.

Officials of the Dong Nai Provincial Land Fund Development Center - Trang Bom branch conduct communication and mobilization for people to hand over land for Ho Chi Minh City’s Ring Road 4. Photo: Hoang Loc

With its core role, the Provincial Land Fund Development Center is implementing synchronously many solutions to accelerate site clearance progress while ensuring the legitimate rights of the people.

Focusing on major projects

Site clearance has long been a common “bottleneck” in implementing investment projects, especially large-scale infrastructure projects. Clearly recognizing this, the Dong Nai Provincial Party Committee and the Provincial People’s Committee have recently issued many directives on land recovery, compensation, support, and resettlement, and require this to be considered a key and ongoing task of the entire political system.

 Le Thanh Dien, Deputy Director of the Provincial Land Fund Development Center, said: The unit is simultaneously implementing compensation and site clearance for many important national and provincial projects. Among them, two expressway projects aiming to complete 100% site clearance by the April 30 holiday are the Chon Thanh – Gia Nghia Expressway and the Dau Giay - Tan Phu Expressway. The Ho Chi Minh City’s Ring Road 4 and many other large projects plan to complete 70% by June 2026 and all by the end of 2026.

In addition to ongoing projects, the Provincial Land Fund Development Center is also preparing to implement compensation for many major projects such as: the Ma Da bridge and road linking the Bridge with Ho Chi Minh City’s Ring Road 4; elevated road along National Highway 51; North-South high-speed railway; extension of Ben Thanh – Suoi Tien metro line (Metro Line No.1) to Tran Bien and Long Thanh Airport…

To meet site progress requirements, the Provincial Land Fund Development Center is implementing many solutions, notably tightening discipline, enhancing public service responsibility, and organizing implementation under the principle of “six clarities”: clear people, clear tasks, clear progress, clear responsibility, clear results, and clear authority. At the same time, progress is controlled to promptly remove difficulties and obstacles; while also improving professional capacity and skills in communication, mobilization, and dialogue for site clearance staff.

Construction of Road 25C - a key transport route connecting to Long Thanh Airport. Photo: Hoang Loc.

Nguyen Cao Tai, Director of the Provincial Land Fund Development Center, said: The current priority is key projects, strategic transport projects, and connections to Long Thanh Airport. Each project is assigned a focal person responsible for monitoring progress regularly and promptly reporting and proposing solutions.

For projects about to undergo land recovery, the center proactively prepares dossiers from the outset, implementing compensation steps flexibly in parallel and in a rolling manner to shorten time while still  ensuring legal compliance. At the same time, communication and public outreach are strengthened, combined with the application of technology in management to improve efficiency, build consensus, and accelerate site handover.

Placing people at the center

In site clearance, the decisive factor is public consensus. Alongside ensuring compliance with procedures and legal regulations, the Provincial Land Fund Development Center focuses on ensuring the legitimate rights and interests of affected people.

All compensation plans are developed based on careful study of land origin dossiers and full asset inventory to ensure accuracy, fairness, and transparency. At the same time, plans are publicly posted so that people can easily access information and monitor implementation.

Tran Van Than, Chairman of the People’s Committee of Long Phuoc Commune, said: Public outreach in site clearance is very important. If communication and explanation of policies are done effectively and people’s rights are ensured, they will share and agree. Local experience shows the importance of early engagement; classification of affected subjects, and understanding of people’s thoughts and aspirations to have appropriate approaches. For cases ineligible for resettlement, priority should be given to purchasing social housing.

The Provincial Land Fund Development Center is implementing site clearance for 20 large projects and project groups, mainly transport infrastructure connectivity projects, industrial zones, urban areas, resettlement areas, and mineral exploitation.

Nguyen Thi Le (in Trang Bom Commune) said: Her family has just had about 800m² of land recovered. Although she feels regretful about the family’s land, she still agrees and supports the implementation of the Ho Chi Minh City’s Ring Road 4, as it is an important project contributing to reducing traffic pressure in the inner city, while creating momentum for industrial, logistics, and satellite urban development. Le hopes that authorities will soon carry out compensation and support in a timely and appropriate manner so that people can stabilize their lives.

Nguyen Van Hai, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Hung Thinh commune and Chairman of the Farmers’ Association of the Commune, shared: The local motto is to maximize outreach efforts and act as quickly as possible to create the highest public consensus. The commune has established two working groups to directly visit each household for communication and mobilization. In addition, local officials are assigned to join the inventory teams of the Provincial Land Fund Development Center to supervise the process, ensuring publicity and transparency and protecting the legitimate rights of affected people.

At a working session with the Provincial People’s Committee on April 20, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee Vo Tan Duc stated: Site clearance is an important preparatory step for projects. When land is handed over on schedule, projects can be implemented and completed on time. Moreover, site clearance contributes to accelerating the disbursement of public investment capital, stimulating economic growth, creating jobs, and improving urban infrastructure quality, forming a solid foundation for Dong Nai’s rapid and sustainable development.

By Hoang Loc - Translated by Diec Quyen, Thu Ha