An "ultimatum" for the Bien Hoa - Vung Tau Expressway Project

Given the slow progress of Component Project 1 of the Bien Hoa - Vung Tau Expressway Project, which risks not meeting the technical opening target by December 19, 2025, the Provincial People's Committee has requested the investor and relevant units to strictly implement solutions to accelerate progress.

Construction of the Bien Hoa - Vung Tau Expressway interchange with Vo Nguyen Giap Street.

Despite the fast-approaching "G-hour, construction output has only reached over 50%

The Bien Hoa - Vung Tau Expressway Project section passing through the province is divided into two component projects, 1 and 2. Component Project 1 is assigned to the Provincial Investment and Construction Project Management Board as the investor by the Provincial People's Committee.

According to the requirements of the Prime Minister and the Provincial People's Committee, Component Project 1 of the Bien Hoa - Vung Tau Expressway Project must complete technical opening by December 19, 2025. However, currently, the project's progress remains a serious concern, with some contractors working slowly, leading to the risk that the project will not be able to meet the technical opening target as planned.

According to the Department of Construction, the results of on-site inspections conducted during the last two weeks of September 2025 showed that the construction volume of the units at the project site had not significantly progressed. This leads to an increasing backlog of work being carried over to the next week, especially the volume of roadbed backfill. In particular, some contractors, such as 479 Hoa Binh Joint Stock Company, Hai Dang Joint Stock Company, have not increased their construction volume according to the registered plan. Based on the actual inspection results of the project's construction progress, the Department of Construction assessed that with the current weather developments and the construction situation of the contractors, completing the technical opening by December 19, 2025, is impossible without the efforts and high determination of the investor and construction contractors.

For Component Project 2 of the Bien Hoa - Vung Tau Expressway Project, the Provincial People's Committee requested Project Management Board 85 (Ministry of Construction), the investor, to direct contractors to clear the flow at canals, rivers, and streams and repair service roads and residential roads to ensure traffic safety for vehicles and people. The investor and contractors will be held legally responsible in case of traffic unsafety due to the contractors' delayed repairs.

According to Vo Tan Duc, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, the Bien Hoa - Vung Tau Expressway Project is listed as a national key project and a major focus of the transportation sector. For the project, the Prime Minister has directed that technical opening must be completed before December 19, 2025. To achieve this goal, the Provincial People's Committee organized a commitment signing ceremony between the investor and contractors; and at the same time, launched a 140-day-and-night plan to complete the project's technical opening.

However, to date, the construction of the two bidding packages of Component Project 1 is still delayed. Specifically, to date, the project's construction output has only reached over 50% of the contracted value and is falling nearly 27% behind schedule.

Using project completion results as a basis for personnel arrangement and assignment

In fact, to accelerate the construction progress of Component Project 1 of the Bien Hoa - Vung Tau Expressway Project, the Provincial Investment and Construction Project Management Board has implemented solutions to speed up construction in recent times. Accordingly, the investor has supplemented subcontractors and reallocated construction volume from slow-performing contractors. However, to date, the project's construction progress has not shown much improvement.

Construction of the expressway overpass on Phung Hung Road, Tam Phuoc Ward, Dong Nai Province, an item of Component Project 1 of the Bien Hoa - Vung Tau Expressway Project. Photo: Pham Tung

Speaking at the briefing conference on the progress of public investment capital disbursement in the province in early October 2025, Dinh Tien Hai, Deputy Director in charge of the Provincial Investment and Construction Project Management Board, stated: In September 2025, heavy rain significantly affected the construction work of contractors at the project. Therefore, the unit requested the contractors to implement measures to strengthen construction and make up for the delays in October 2025.

According to Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Vo Tan Duc, completing the technical opening of Component Project 1 of the Bien Hoa - Vung Tau Expressway Project is a political task of the Provincial Party Committee and the Provincial People's Committee before the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Construction to serve the connection to Long Thanh International Airport. Therefore, the Provincial People's Committee requested the Provincial Investment and Construction Project Management Board to strictly implement the directives of the Provincial People's Committee to accelerate the project's progress. Specifically, the investor must add contractors, direct contractors to increase machinery, equipment, materials, and manpower to work in "3 shifts, 4 teams,", following the spirit of "When daytime isn’t enough, keep working through the night”….

"The leadership of the Provincial Investment and Construction Project Management Board must thoroughly understand and determine that this is a top political task to focus on directing and urging contractors to accelerate the project's progress. The completion of the project's technical opening as directed by the Prime Minister will serve as the basis for considering the arrangement and assignment of leaders of the Provincial Investment and Construction Project Management Board in the coming time," said Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Vo Tan Duc.

By Pham Tung-Translated by Mai Nga, Thu Ha