Minister Nguyen Van The accepted responsibility for delaying the Ho Chi Minh road

Explaining to the National Assembly about the progress of the Ho Chi Minh road project on the afternoon of June 6, Transport Minister Nguyen Van Can twice acknowledged his responsibility for delaying the completion of the entire route.

Mr. The said, Ho Chi Minh road is very special, so the Government focuses on implementing it. In the period 2000-2010, the project progress is very good. In the period 2011-2025, the project is allocated a very large resource. However, due to the economic crisis of 2008-2010, with the consent of the Politburo, the Government stopped and delayed many projects to control inflation. Therefore, in the period 2011-2015, almost all major projects, including Ho Chi Minh road, had to stop.

Since 2016, projects have been implemented again, in which focus is on the East North-South Expressway and many key projects. Therefore, resources for Ho Chi Minh road are very few. “For reasons like that, we don’t have enough resources,” said Mr. The, explaining the slow deployment of some sections and routes.

The next reason Minister The cited is that the Ho Chi Minh road passes through the geological area, the weather is complicated, many sections have very few people. The deployment process encountered difficulties not only in terms of ground clearance but also overcoming weather and terrain.

Subjectively, Mr. The admitted that “the main responsibility is still the Ministry of Transport and a number of relevant ministries and branches in advising the Government and the National Assembly to review and allocate capital”.

Mr. The also said that, to some extent, the National Assembly also has a part in the responsibility for allocating capital. “When allocating capital, you must have the Government and the National Assembly, and you can’t do it without capital. This subjective reason is true and also partly the responsibility of the localities when implementing it slowly, entangled in the ground, and entangled. construction conditions,” said Minister The.

The Government has learned from the Ho Chi Minh Road project for current and upcoming national key projects. “With the drastic actions of the Government and the locality, we think that the upcoming phase of Ho Chi Minh Road and other projects will be done well,” said Mr. The determined to the National Assembly.

Two sections of Cho Chu – Trung Son junction, Rach Soi – Ben Nhat – Go Quao – Vinh Thuan, have been allocated 4,450 billion VND. The Co Tiet – Ben Market section has been documented in 2022. “We will take advantage of the resources we can get this year and the coming period to invest,” said Mr. The.

The Ministry of Transport will report to the Government and the National Assembly to develop a plan for the period 2026-2030, focusing resources on Ho Chi Minh road, especially upgrading sections with expressway planning; the remaining paragraphs “try to arrange funds for upgrading and expansion”.

Discussing this project, delegate Nguyen Lam Thanh said voters and residents have high expectations for the completion of the route. Up to now, Ho Chi Minh road has basically completed the first phase of two lanes. However, the project results have not been as expected, only 86% of the volume has been completed; there are 3 unfinished routes with 171 km. The new government submitted to the National Assembly to allocate capital for the two lines.

One of the reasons cited by Mr. Thanh is the reduction or postponement of public investment decades ago. “I think this is a prolongation, also a historical oblivion and waste. The Ho Chi Minh road needs to be completed and arranged to open the route”, Mr. Thanh said.

Delegate Tran Van Tien said that there are three reasons leading to the late completion of Ho Chi Minh Road. Firstly, people’s awareness in the observance of site clearance is not strict. Secondly, the locality with a passing project has not drastically directed the site clearance. Thirdly, the National Assembly, Government and ministries have not fully anticipated the difficulties in implementing this project. Therefore, he proposed the National Assembly to consider and allocate capital to complete the Co Tiet – Cho Ben section in the 2021-2025 period.

According to the resolution of the National Assembly, by 2020, complete the connection from Pac Bo (Cao Bang) to Dat Mui (Ca Mau), with at least two lanes with a length of 2,744 km. Up to now, the units have completed 2,362 km, reaching 86% and 258 km of branch lines; deploying 211 km; the remaining 171 km has not been allocated capital (expected to need 10,700 billion VND).

The total investment of component projects to connect Ho Chi Minh route (two-lane phase) is VND 99,100 billion. Component projects have been and are being invested with a total amount of VND 88,400 billion. The government has allocated 79,000 billion VND to invest in projects. In the coming time, the Government will balance investment resources in two component projects, the Cho Chu – Trung Son intersection and the Rach Soi – Ben Nhat, Go Quao – Vinh Thuan sections.

Hoang Thuy – Viet Tuan