Minister Nguyen Van Thang orders investors and contractors to quicken progress of the eastern North-South expressway project in the 2021-2025 period. (Photo: VietnamPlus) Hanoi (VNA) - The Minister of Transport has high hopes that North-South expressway projects will outpace the plans to complete the project in 2025.
In his field inspection on March 4 of the North-South expressway projects in the 2021-2025 period, Minister of Transport Nguyen Van Thang affirmed they are key transport projects and those concerned must strive to finish them with quality ensured.
Early completion of expressways will create a push for localities
The minister took note of the efforts by investors and contractors, and reiterated the consistent direction by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh that the development of transport will lead to the establishment of urban, industrial, service, and tourism areas.
He asked every individual and unit involved in the projects to heighten their sense of responsibility to the work, and change their mindset so as to complete the work early in 2025.
By now, the sites along the lines have been fundamentally cleared and the projects are supported by local administrations and people, and that is why the construction pace must be quickened, he stressed.
Taking note of the ideas from contractors, consultants, and local administrations, Minister Thang said the sections crossing Binh Dinh, Quang Ngai, Phu Yen, and Khanh Hoa provinces have by now recorded considerable progress as a large quantity of workhands and machinery weremobilised.
On the basis of what he saw in the field, the official had a high trust that the projects will be completed earlier than planned.
The early completion of the projects will create a push for socioeconomic development and investment attraction for the localities that they cross, he highlighted.
The eastern North-South expressway is being asphalted. (Photo: VietnamPlus) For the Can Tho – Ca Mau component project, the minister ordered the My Thuan management board to work with localities that have large sand reserves to supply 3 million cubic meters.
They must also join hands with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and the administrations of SocTrang and Tra Vinh provinces to soon finish the procedures on mining sea sand in March so that mining activities can start in April 2024.
Shortage of rest areas must be avoided
At every point of his inspection, Minister Thang asked relevant units and contractors to clearly report on measures to control quality. They were tasked to strengthen their check and supervision of the quality and origin of materials, machinery, and construction measures and quality.
In any case, the quality of the projects must be the top priority, and the quality of the projects must absolutely not be sacrificed, he stressed.
Minister of Transport Nguyen Van Thang instructs investors to ensure the number of rest areas for expressways, when completed. (Photo: VietnamPlus) Highlighting that the pace of the projects is good, he stressed that they must be completed with the soft infrastructure such as the smart transport management system and rest areas so as to become a key transport route with a very huge traffic flow.
If the construction of the rest areas is slow, it will lead to the situation in which vehicles will have to stop on the expressways, causing problems to safety and environment, Thang said, stressing that local authorities must get involved in the work and provide timely support./.
