Difficulty in sand source for foundation, what does the Director of the Traffic Department say about the progress of Ho Chi Minh City's Ring Road 3?

TPO – According to the leader of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Transport, the difficulty in the source of sand for embankment will be resolved in June and September. The investor, construction contractors, and supervision consultants are striving to maintain the project's progress to complete by the end of June 2026.

Ring Road 3 - Ho Chi Minh City is a national key project with a total length of 76.3km passing through four localities: Ho Chi Minh City (47.35km), Dong Nai (11.26km), Binh Duong (10.76km) and Long An (6.81km). Recently, difficulties in sand sources for embankment have affected the progress of some packages and threaten to affect the overall progress of the project.

Tien Phong newspaper reporter interviewed Mr. Luong Minh Phuc - Director of the Management Board of Investment and Construction of Traffic Works of Ho Chi Minh City (abbreviated as Traffic Board) to learn about the implementation status of this key project.

Sir, what is the current progress of the Beltway 3 project, section through Ho Chi Minh City?

Mr. Luong Minh Phuc: The Ring Road 3 project, section through Ho Chi Minh City, includes 14 construction packages (10 main construction packages and 4 packages for operation and exploitation). The specific implementation status of the packages is as follows:

4 main construction packages (XL3, XL6, XL8, XL9) started construction in July 2023. Currently, contractors are accelerating the construction of bridges and tunnels on the route, speeding up the construction progress of the roadbed section to treat weak soil by digging to replace soil with cajuput piles, cement-reinforced soil piles (CDM) and installing permeable drains (PVD). The output to date has reached 22% of the construction value.

Difficulty in sand source for foundation, what does the Director of the Traffic Department say about the progress of Ho Chi Minh City's Ring Road 3? photo 1

Construction site of Ring Road 3 project through Ho Chi Minh City.

The remaining 6 main construction packages (XL1, XL2, XL4, XL5, XL7, XL10) started construction in February 2024. Contractors are focusing on accelerating the construction progress of substructure items on the route and simultaneously implementing soft soil treatment work. The output to date has reached 9% of the construction value.

4 operation and exploitation packages (XL11, XL12, XL13, XL14) are being appraised, approved for design and estimate, expected to start construction at the end of 2024 and will be completed synchronously with 10 main construction packages.

How is the current difficulty in sand source for embankment solved?

Mr. Luong Minh Phuc: Implementing the direction of the Prime Minister at the 12th meeting of the Steering Committee and the close direction of Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha at meetings with the southern provinces, up to now, the difficulties and problems in exploiting sand materials for roadbed construction for the project have been basically resolved.

Currently, the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, the Material Working Group and the investor are actively coordinating and working with localities (People's Committees of Tien Giang, Vinh Long, Ben Tre provinces) to complete licensing procedures for mines serving the Ho Chi Minh City Ring Road 3 project on schedule.

Tien Giang Province: For 3 mines (phase 1), complete licensing procedures by the end of August 2024. For mines (phase 2), complete licensing procedures by the end of September 2024. The total supply volume is 6.6 million m³. The expected sand volume supplied to the project in 2024 is 3 million m³.

Vinh Long province completed the procedures and provided sand for the Project by the end of August 2024. Of which, 1 mine completed the procedures and provided sand for the project before August 25, 2024. The remaining 5 mines completed the procedures and provided sand for the project by early September 2024 with a total volume of sand supplied of 1.4 million m³. Of which, the volume of sand expected to be supplied for the Ring Road project in 2024 is 700,000 m³.

Ben Tre Province: Complete procedures and supply sand for the Project in December 2024, total sand volume supplied is 2.0 million m³. Expected sand volume supplied for the project in 2024 is 1 million m³.

Thus, it can be said that up to now, the licensing progress according to the commitment of 3 localities (Tien Giang, Vinh Long and Ben Tre) with the above volume is meeting the needs and construction progress of the Ho Chi Minh City Ring Road 3 project. The Traffic Department will continue to coordinate closely with central ministries, branches, departments, agencies, relevant units and localities to ensure the completion of the Ring Road 3 project through Ho Chi Minh City on schedule.

With the drastic solutions from the Government, central ministries and localities, do you think the project will be able to finish on schedule?

Mr. Luong Minh Phuc: Currently, the investor, construction contractors and supervision consultants are striving to maintain the project completion schedule as stated in the Resolutions of the National Assembly and the Government.

Specifically, complete some items of construction package 1 (XL1) to ensure synchronous and effective exploitation of the connection between Nhon Trach bridge (part of component project 1A) and Ho Chi Minh City - Long Thanh - Dau Giay Expressway by April 30, 2025. Technically open the entire expressway section by the end of January 2026. Officially open the entire expressway section on April 30, 2026; Complete the entire project (including the parallel road section) by June 30, 2026.

Thank you!