"Kick-starting" site clearance for high-speed railway

Dong Nai province has officially commenced compensation and site clearance work to serve the construction of an over 80km section – part of the North-South high-speed railway – that passes through the province.

According to the design, the North-South high-speed railway through Dong Nai shares the corridor to the East of the Phan Thiet - Dau Giay expressway before turning left into the central axis road of Long Thanh Airport.

The North-South High-Speed Railway Project was approved by the National Assembly for investment policy at the end of November 2024. This high-speed railway line is over 1,500 km long, starting at Ngoc Hoi Station (Hanoi Capital) and ending at Thu Thiem Station (Ho Chi Minh City).

Assigning the investor unit

According to the preliminary design document, the North-South high-speed railway section passing through the province is approximately 82km long. In Dong Nai, it is expected to have one passenger station in the vicinity of Long Thanh International Airport (airport); one cargo station in Trang Bom commune; and two technical maintenance stations in Xuan Hoa and Xuan Duong communes.

At a working session with the Provincial People's Committee in May 2025, the project consulting unit made a preliminary estimate that to serve the construction of the project section passing through the area, Dong Nai province would have to recover approximately 490 hectares of land.

In Dong Nai province, according to the preliminary design document, the North-South high-speed railway passes through the communes and wards of: Hang Gon, Long Thanh, Xuan Loc, Xuan Hoa, Nhon Trach, Xuan Phu, Xuan Que, Xuan Dinh, Cam My, Xuan Duong, Long Phuoc, An Phuoc.

Regarding land acquisition and site clearance for the project, in Official Dispatch No. 376/TB-VPCP dated July 21, 2025, of the Government Office, which conveyed the conclusion of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Head of the Steering Committee, at the 3rd meeting of the national steering committee for key projects in the railway sector, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh assigned the provincial People's Committees where the project passes through to establish, appraise, and decide on the investment of independent component projects for compensation, support, and resettlement based on the preliminary design document in the pre-feasibility study report in accordance with regulations. Temporary housing should be arranged for people whose land is acquired, ensuring the stability of their lives as regulated. In addition, the People's Committees of provinces and cities where the project passes through are assigned specific tasks and plans for units, wards, and communes to implement and complete the project's site clearance work in 2026.

According to Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Vo Tan Duc, in implementation of the Prime Minister's conclusion, the Provincial People's Committee has assigned the Provincial Land Fund Development Center to be the investor of the (independent) Component Project on compensation, support, and resettlement for the North-South High-Speed Railway Project, the section through Dong Nai province, to establish, appraise, and decide on the project's investment as a basis for implementation in accordance with regulations.

Based on the preliminary design drawings of the project, the Provincial Land Fund Development Center will contact the Provincial Land Registration Office to determine the scale and boundaries of the project on the map to serve as a basis for establishing and approving the investment project for compensation, support, and resettlement, and for establishing the land acquisition, compensation, and site clearance map after the project is approved in accordance with regulations.

Developing a plan for relocating power grid infrastructure

Along with assigning the Provincial Land Fund Development Center as the investor of the Component Project on compensation, support, and resettlement for the North-South high-speed railway section passing through the province, the Provincial People's Committee has assigned the localities where the project passes through to determine the scale, scope, and area of land to be acquired, and the number of households and assets affected by the project, based on the preliminary alignment of the project. At the same time, they are to determine the number of households to be relocated and resettled, the number of available resettlement plots to be allocated for the project in the commune, as well as the number of resettlement plots still lacking for the project, and propose the construction of resettlement areas to be submitted to the Provincial Land Fund Development Center for compilation and report to the Provincial People's Committee to direct the timely handling of investment in resettlement areas for the project, ensuring proactive arrangements for households subject to relocation.

In addition to reviewing the area of land to be acquired, the number of affected households, and the demand for resettlement arrangements, Dong Nai province has also assigned tasks to units to carry out the relocation of power grid infrastructure within the project area.

According to the Department of Industry and Trade, there are already specific guidelines on assigning specific implementation responsibilities for agencies in charge of the relocation of power grid infrastructure within the project area. The People's Committees of localities where the project passes through will carry out the relocation of structures with voltages below 110kV. Meanwhile, Vietnam Electricity (EVN) will lead the implementation of the sub-project for the relocation of power structures with voltages of 110kV or higher.

For the section passing through the province, according to statistics from the Department of Industry and Trade, within the project area, there are 6 crossing points with 500kV and 220kV transmission lines managed by Power Transmission Company 1 of the Eastern Region (under the National Power Transmission Corporation). In addition, there are 5 crossing points with 110kV grids and 35 crossing points with medium and low voltage grids, which are assets managed by Dong Nai Power Company and its customers.

Regarding the relocation of power grid infrastructure within the project area, the Provincial People's Committee assigned the Provincial Land Fund Development Center to coordinate with Dong Nai Power Company and relevant units to conduct detailed surveys, establish compensation and support plans or relocation plans, prepare relocation dossiers, submit them for approval, and implement them according to regulations for power grids with voltages below 110kV.

For power grids of 110kV or higher, localities where the project passes through will closely coordinate with EVN and operating management units to carry out the relocation of structures. This includes focusing on land acquisition, handing over the relocated foundation positions, and ensuring the relocation schedule.

By Pham Tung-Translated by Mai Nga, Thu Ha