Drastic actions implemented to accelerate progress of two key national projects

In just half a month, the Chairman of the Dong Nai Provincial People's Committee has twice issued documents requesting the investors and contractors of Component Project 1, Bien Hoa - Vung Tau Expressway Project, and Component Project 3, Ring Road 3 - Ho Chi Minh City Project, to urgently implement solutions to accelerate progress.

Construction of package No. 29, Component Project 3, Ring Road 3 - Ho Chi Minh City Project, section through Dong Nai province. Photo: Pham Tung

The construction "pace" is still not fast enough.

Component Project 1 of the Bien Hoa - Vung Tau Expressway Project and Component Project 3 of the Ring Road 3 - Ho Chi Minh City Project are required to complete technical traffic clearance by December 19, 2025, as directed by the Prime Minister. With this deadline, the projects have just over 50 days remaining to meet the target. However, the current workload for both projects, especially Component Project 1 of the Bien Hoa - Vung Tau Expressway, remains very large.

The results of the Department of Construction's inspection of the project's construction situation in the last week of October 2025 indicate that the construction output of Component Project 3, Ring Road 3 - Ho Chi Minh City Project, has reached nearly 51% of the signed contract value, and is 4.4% behind schedule.

Meanwhile, the construction progress of Component Project 1 of the Bien Hoa-Vung Tau Expressway Project has reached just over 51% of the signed contract value, nearly 25% behind schedule. More concerning is that the remaining volume of embankment earthwork for this project is still substantial, over 800,000 cubic meters.

In the directive on the progress of Component Project 1, Bien Hoa - Vung Tau Expressway Project, and Component Project 3, Ring Road 3 - Ho Chi Minh City Project, sent to relevant units on November 7, 2025, Comrade Vo Tan Duc, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, requested the Provincial Investment and Construction Project Management Board to urgently add more subcontractors, and direct the contractors to increase machinery and equipment, gather materials and labor to accelerate construction to make up for the delayed progress.

In a report submitted to the Provincial People's Committee, the Department of Construction assessed that in the final week of October 2025, the Provincial Investment and Construction Project Management Board, the project investor, had shown determination in urging contractors to accelerate progress. However, the results achieved were still limited. The construction pace on site has yet to reflect the contractors’ commitment and decisiveness in increasing work crews and implementing the "3 shifts, 4 crews" model.

On the investor's side, the Provincial Investment and Construction Project Management Board acknowledged that, among the eight contractors working on Component Project 1 of the Bien Hoa - Vung Tau Expressway Project, five are currently failing to meet the construction schedule. Additionally, the heavy rainfall in October 2025 had a significant impact on project progress.

According to Nguyen Linh, Deputy Director of the Provincial Investment and Construction Project Management Board, there were 22 rainy days out of 31 in October 2025. In some sections of the roadbed passing through the Mieu neighborhood, Phuoc Tan ward, Dong Nai province, rising water levels of the Buong River caused flooding, submerging the roadbed and slowing down embankment work, thereby delaying the progress of this item compared to the planned schedule.

Breakthrough solutions needed

Truong Son Construction Corporation is one of the contractors participating in the construction of Component Project 1 of the Bien Hoa - Vung Tau Expressway Project. Nguyen Tat Nam, Director of Truong Son 15 Executive Board (constructing package No. 9 and package No. 18, Bien Hoa - Vung Tau Expressway) said: Currently, the contractor has gathered enough materials at the site, accelerating construction to make up for the progress, determined to complete the packages by mid-December 2025, basically.

Construction of asphalt concrete paving for a section of package No. 18, Component Project 1, Bien Hoa - Vung Tau Expressway Project, section through Dong Nai province. Photo: Pham Tung

Meanwhile, a representative of the consortium for Package No. 29, Component Project 3 of the Ho Chi Minh City Ring Road 3 Project, stated that Package No. 29 spans nearly 3 kilometers and includes two interchanges. At the construction site, the contractor has mobilized almost 200 workers and pieces of equipment for road and bridge construction. The road section is currently focused on embankment filling and laying crushed stone base, with some sections already being asphalted. The main bridge of the interchange has been basically completed, while handrails, approach roads, and reinforced retaining walls are under construction. At present, the contractor is also actively working with stone quarries to secure additional material supplies, while accelerating construction under the “3 shifts, 4 crews” model to ensure technical traffic clearance by December 19, 2025.

According to the Department of Construction, for both projects to meet the target of technical traffic clearance by December 19, 2025, as committed, the Provincial Investment and Construction Project Management Board must take a more decisive approach in reallocating work volumes and addressing underperforming contractors in accordance with contractual terms. At the same time, it is necessary to research and propose breakthrough solutions that enable contractors to mobilize all available resources to rapidly complete the remaining construction volume within the next 50 days.

The Provincial Investment and Construction Project Management Board stated that for contractors falling behind schedule on Component Project 1 of the Bien Hoa - Vung Tau Expressway Project, additional subcontractors have been brought in to carry out specific work items. In the coming period, based on progress evaluations, additional subcontractors will be added if the current contractors fail to improve their construction performance.

By Pham Tung – Translated by Mai Nga, Minho