Ministry proposes picking contractors for north-south expressway extension

In a draft resolution on the investment policy for projects to lengthen the eastern part of the expressway in the 2021-2025 period, the ministry stated it wants the authority to appoint contractors in 2022 and 2023 for packages related to consultancy, site clearance and compensation, as well as removing technical infrastructure.

For the construction and installation package, the PM will appoint contractors in 2022 and 2023, the ministry said, adding it will submit a list of contractors to the prime minister for selection.

It also proposed cutting or simplifying procedures related to assessing environmental impacts, verifying and deciding levels of compensation and policies for resettlement.

Transport Minister Nguyen Van The said the contractor appointment mechanism would not reduce investment costs but shorten the time to implement the project by six-nine months compared to bidding.

The ministry will later issue documents with specific criteria on the qualifications, capacity, and experience of consulting contractors, he said.

In January, the National Assembly approved a 729 kilometer (453 miles) expansion to the eastern part of the North-South Expressway.

The parliament allowed the government to spend VND146.990 trillion (almost $6.5 billion) of the state budget to implement 12 projects on the expansion.

These projects will consume 5,481 hectares (13,543 acres) of land in total, including 1,532 hectares of farmland, 110 hectares of protected forest land, and 1,436 of productive forest land.

Of the 12 expressway projects, 10 will have six lanes. The other two in Mekong Delta, Can Tho – Hau Giang Expressway and Hau Giang – Ca Mau Expressway, will have four lanes each.