Construction pace at most expressway projects is being pushed to maximum speed during the peak period of the 500-day-and-night competition to complete 3,000 km of expressway - an important goal set forth in the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress.
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| Construction of Road Tunnel No. 3, Quang Ngai – Hoai Nhon Expressway Project |
Even faster
Ten days after Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh launched a 500-day and night emulation campaign to complete 3,000 km of expressway (August 18, 2024), the pace at the construction site of Package XL03, Quang Ngai - Hoai Nhon Component Project of the North - South Eastern Expressway Construction Project in the 2021 - 2025 period has been pushed to a new level.
The 88 km long Quang Ngai - Hoai Nhon component project with a total investment of VND 21,000 billion is the largest project among the 12 component projects of the North - South Eastern Expressway in the 2021 - 2025 period.
In particular, Package XL03 is undertaken by Deo Ca Group with the highlight of building a 3,200 m long road tunnel, located between the two provinces of Quang Ngai and Binh Dinh. This item is the progress critical path, deciding whether the Quang Ngai - Hoai Nhon Component Project can be completed by December 2025 or not.
Under the scorching late summer sun reaching over 40 degrees Celsius in the South Central region, the construction units of Road Tunnel No. 3 started working at 6:00 a.m. to finish the first shift at around 11:00 a.m. The break of over 1 hour and 30 minutes was a precious time for the workers to quickly have lunch and take a short nap in the public houses near the construction site before starting the afternoon shift, which lasted until late at night.
It should be added that the mechanical teams, despite having to work outdoors in the scorching heat to prepare the hundreds of tons of tunnel lining formwork, are still much more comfortable than the engineers and workers working at the construction sites of Road Tunnel No. 3.
Even though they don't have to work outdoors and are constantly pumped with fresh air, the air in the tunnel is always thick, noisy, and very humid, making this place like a "boiler". Normal people will feel tightness in the chest and suffocation after standing for a while.
Deep inside the tunnel, workers operating drilling machines patiently trim the tunnel face flat, before drilling hundreds of holes into the hard rock layer for blasting. The working atmosphere at the construction site is bustling, in line with the Prime Minister's directive: "If it's urgent, then it's even more urgent."
Along with the addition of specialized equipment and skilled technicians, to speed up the construction progress of road tunnel No. 3, Deo Ca Group also boldly improved the construction organization method by dividing the tunnel into many small tunnels, combining inclined face excavation and spraying reinforcement immediately after excavation.
Mr. Bui Hong Dang, Director of the Tunnel Command Board of the Quang Ngai - Hoai Nhon Component Project (Deo Ca Group) said that this solution aims to shorten construction time and increase the load-bearing safety of the construction structure, overcoming the design with a shape that is not optimal in terms of the tunnel's load-bearing capacity.
Thanks to the increased force and the application of innovative construction methods, as of the end of August 2024, the progress of the road tunnel No. 3 is being significantly accelerated compared to the requirements set by the investor. The left tunnel has been dug 1,500 m/3,200 m, the right tunnel has been dug 1,619 m/3,200 m.
“We are organizing construction in 3 shifts, 4 teams around the clock, expected to dig the tunnel in March 2025, about 8 months ahead of schedule compared to the contract, to work with other units to open the Quang Ngai - Hoai Nhon expressway to traffic in December 2025, nearly 6 months ahead of the general schedule,” said Mr. Dang.
Not only in Package XL03, the accelerated construction pace has appeared in most highway construction projects invested by the Ministry of Transport (MOT) and localities.
At the Khanh Hoa – Buon Ma Thuot Expressway Component 3 Project, Son Hai Group is focusing on maximum equipment and human resources to complete the work items signed with the investor 3-6 months ahead of schedule.
In addition, Son Hai Group also committed to completing 52 km of Bien Hoa - Vung Tau Expressway in 2025, 12 months ahead of schedule, determined to set a new record in progress, and committed to being the leading enterprise in construction quality.
“We have seen the image of the Prime Minister attached to the highway through inspection trips and on-site instructions, mostly on holidays, Saturdays and Sundays. That image has inspired us, the contractors and workers, to be more determined to complete the assigned tasks, to build highways that ensure progress and quality,” said Mr. Le Viet Hai, Chairman of Son Hai Group.
"Throughout the holidays, through the holidays"
According to Mr. Nguyen Danh Huy, Deputy Minister of Transport, implementing the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress, right from the beginning of the term, the Government has resolutely directed all levels, sectors and localities to synchronously deploy many solutions to promote investment in transport infrastructure projects to achieve important and outstanding results.
To date, the country has completed about 1,000 km of expressways, passing through 15 provinces and cities, bringing the total number of expressways to nearly 2,100 km; over 1,700 km are under construction, and about 1,400 km are about to start construction. The projects span 48 provinces and cities across the country.
Even during the National Day holiday on September 2, workers across the country have 4 days off, but all contractors on expressway projects, especially the North-South expressway component projects in the 2021-2025 phase deployed in the Central region, are still working in 3 shifts, 4 crews, taking advantage of the last weeks of the dry season in 2024 to speed up progress. 
On average, over the past 3 years, each year the country has put into operation about 300 km of highways, equal to the previous 10 years combined.
“Regular site inspections, including the Prime Minister’s cross-country and Tet inspections and meetings of the State Steering Committee for important national and key projects in the transport sector, have promptly removed difficulties and obstacles, creating momentum and determination among construction units. The leaders of the Ministry of Transport also continuously monitor the construction site to promptly remove difficulties and speed up construction progress,” said Mr. Nguyen Danh Huy.
However, the goal of completing nearly 1,000 km of remaining highway within about 500 days and nights is still a huge challenge, forcing the transport industry to make an even faster sprint.
Specifically, in addition to the 2,021 km that have been put into operation, there are currently about 1,700 km of expressways under construction, of which nearly 1,200 km are planned to be completed by 2025. Of the projects planned to be completed in 2025, nearly 700 km (belonging to 13 projects/component projects) basically meet the schedule; the remaining 300 km need drastic direction and the removal of many difficulties and obstacles to be completed in 2025.
In the latest directive issued on August 28, Minister of Transport Nguyen Van Thang himself requested Deputy Ministers of Transport to actively urge and direct investors/project management boards to proactively work with localities to complete the target of 3,000 km of expressway by 2025, especially projects behind schedule.
The pressure to put the expressways into operation soon from the Government and the Ministry of Transport is becoming a driving force helping many contractors and investors overcome their own limits to complete the projects.
The sense of honor, professional pride and the future ahead create the driving force for contractors to overcome difficulties. Many contractors accept to “play big”, willing to reduce profits to add manpower and equipment to shorten the construction progress.
Top leaders of contractors are often present at the site, especially for packages that are critical to progress. In addition to the task of maintaining cash flow into packages in the final stages of construction, many top leaders of contractors also directly take care of mid-shift meals for workers and give bonuses to construction teams with good progress.
Mr. Pham Van Khoi, General Director of Phuong Thanh Construction Company - one of the main contractors of the Bung - Van Ninh Expressway Project, said that the contractor has mobilized enough human resources and equipment for the flood season before the rainy season begins.
“The capital is always available, the payment time has been shortened to the maximum, if the weather conditions are favorable, we will disburse beyond the capital plan and progress plan registered with the investor - Project Management Board 6”, Mr. Khoi emphasized.
To support contractors during the 500-day and night peak competition, the Minister of Transport requested project management boards and investors of expressway projects to be proactive and urge localities to remove difficulties and obstacles in site clearance, relocation of technical infrastructure, and supply of construction materials; to focus, be highly determined, make great efforts, and resolutely carry out construction with the spirit of "overcoming the sun and overcoming the rain", "only working, not backing down", "3 shifts, 4 shifts", "eating quickly, sleeping urgently", "through holidays, Tet, and days off", "doing what needs to be done", "having committed, must be done; having promised, must be done" to speed up the progress of project implementation.
The urgent task at this time is to direct and urge contractors to focus on construction of items that are critical to progress such as tunnels, large bridges; areas that must be loaded, and weak ground treatment...
“The spirit is to make more efforts, be more determined, be more drastic, focus on key points; closely direct, clearly assign people, tasks, time, progress, completion deadline, and have specific products,” the head of the transport sector requested.
Source: https://baodautu.vn/nguon-cam-hung-moi-cho-mui-dot-pha-ha-tang-giao-thong-d223908.html
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