During a site inspection on July 3, Mr. Hoang Nguyen Dinh, Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, reviewed compensation and land clearance progress for Component Project 1 of the Ho Chi Minh City–Chon Thanh Expressway.
According to the city's Transport Infrastructure Construction Investment Project Management Board, land surveys and property inventories have been virtually completed, covering 1,653 of 1,655 affected cases, or 99.9 percent of the total.
Authorities have approved compensation plans for 1,582 cases and disbursed compensation payments to 1,364 households.
A total of 260.6 hectares of land has been handed over, equivalent to 79.6 percent of the project's required 327.23 hectares. Project disbursement has reached VND7.253 trillion out of the total investment of VND8.283 trillion (US$315 million) for Component Project 1.
Despite the progress, several key tasks remain behind schedule. Authorities have yet to survey two properties, approve compensation plans for 73 cases, or disburse compensation to 291 households.
Most of the remaining land to be cleared is concentrated in Vinh Tan, Tan Khanh and Tan Hiep wards, and Binh Co Commune. Progress has been slowed by unresolved land ownership issues, property disputes, absentee landowners, bank mortgages and delays in approving employment support and resettlement plans for 142 affected households.
The relocation of utility infrastructure has also progressed slowly. Work involving high-voltage transmission lines and 18 transformer stations has reached only the inventory and planning stage, with funding yet to be approved, raising concerns over the project's overall schedule.
Mr. Hoang Nguyen Dinh described the expressway as a nationally significant transport project that will play a strategic role in the socio-economic development of Ho Chi Minh City and the Southeastern region.
He instructed relevant departments and local authorities to complete all land clearance in line with the city's implementation plan and finalize resettlement arrangements for the 142 affected households as soon as possible.
He also urged commune- and ward-level authorities to resolve outstanding legal issues, continue engaging with residents who disagree with compensation rates, and, where necessary, proceed with compulsory land acquisition in accordance with the law after all policy measures have been exhausted.
Local authorities were further instructed to finalize compensation plans for relocating power infrastructure and coordinate closely with the electricity sector to ensure uninterrupted site handover for construction.
