Danger lurks at Nha Trang interchange construction site

By Bui Toan   March 16, 2023 | 01:00 am PT
The Ngoc Hoi rotary interchange construction site in Nha Trang is not sealed off though there is constantly heavy traffic beneath it, posing a threat to vehicles.
Danger lurks at Nha Trang interchange construction site

Work on the VND1.3-trillion (US$55.3 million) interchange started in 2017.

Considered a major work to ease congestion, the interchange will go above October 23rd Street and the railway tracks.

Danger lurks at Nha Trang interchange construction site

It was originally set for completion in 2019 but has been delayed due to land acquisition issues.

Despite being built in a congested area, the site is not properly sealed off and gapes open on all sides.

Danger lurks at Nha Trang interchange construction site

People drive motorbikes right next to the site with its scaffolding and huge metal bars with nothing to hold them in place.

"I usually drive my kid back home from school through this section. For those who travel by cars, it is ok but for motorcyclists it is really concerning, especially at nights [as there are no street lights]," a man named Nguyen Thanh said.

Danger lurks at Nha Trang interchange construction site

On the morning of March 15 a 1.7-meter-long iron bar fell from a height of seven meters even as many vehicles were driving below.

Two motorcyclists were injured, with a woman suffering a head injury after the bar broke her helmet and a man getting injured in his arm. Both are recovering.

Danger lurks at Nha Trang interchange construction site

Besides the obvious safety threat, the work, dragging on for too long now, also causes severe traffic jams during rush hour.

Danger lurks at Nha Trang interchange construction site

At certain times, drivers have to wait right under a giant crane for trains to cross.

Danger lurks at Nha Trang interchange construction site

Construction materials and debris tossed carelessly along the street pose further threats.

Danger lurks at Nha Trang interchange construction site

A closer look at what drivers go through.

Dang Huu Tai, director of the management board of traffic projects of Khanh Hoa Province, home to Nha Trang, said the project contractor, Phuc Son Group JSC, has been warned about safety issues several times.

"If the investor fails to follow safety protocols, the board will order it to stop construction," he said.

 
 
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