Construction continues overnight, striving to complete the highway through Ha Tinh by April 30

Efforts to put the project into operation soon

According to the reporter's records, these days at the Bai Vot - Ham Nghi component project site, the contractor not only works through lunch, with quick lunch boxes eaten right on the construction site, but at night the site is always lit up. For the operator Hoang Huu Thanh (Contractor TCT 319), from Ha Tinh, he is very proud and ready to work overtime to put the project into operation soon.

"I am very proud to be able to participate in the work for the government on the section through my hometown Ha Tinh. We are determined to work 3 shifts, waking up early and working late at night to complete the assigned work, opening the Bai Vot - Ham Nghi section on April 30 so that people can travel more conveniently, easily and safely," said Mr. Hoang Huu Thanh.

At Bai Vot - Ham Nghi project, the construction site is always lit up at night, and the rollers operate at full capacity.

Sharing with reporters, Major Tran Dinh Ngan, Director of the XL11 Package Management Board, Bai Vot - Ham Nghi project, Contractor of General Corporation 319 shared that in the 2 years of implementing the project, up to half of the time could not be constructed due to problems with the site, material mines, unfavorable weather and weak ground accounting for up to 70%. However, with the will and determination of the collective of "Uncle Ho's soldiers", up to now, the construction output has reached more than 80%, striving to complete before April 30.

"In the 2 years of implementing the Bai Vot - Ham Nghi project, from the very beginning, a special mechanism was applied to hand over the mine to the contractor, but the mine handover procedure took up to 8 months. Therefore, in the first 8 months, the source of materials did not meet the demand. After having the material mine, we mobilized all the machinery and equipment to exploit the mine, and carried out construction throughout the year, ensuring progress. Especially in the Central provinces, we could only construct for 6-8 months a year, causing difficulties for the contractor. However, with determination, we came up with appropriate construction solutions, working overtime when the weather was favorable. Up to now, we have overcome all difficulties and obstacles."

Mr. Hoang Chien Thang, Director of Bai Vot - Ham Nghi Project, said that the construction site currently has 46 construction teams, more than 400 machines, equipment and nearly 800 engineers, workers and operators, the construction output has reached more than 82%. Currently, the contractor is completing more than 2km of CTB layer, asphalt concrete, completing the traffic safety system, service roads and toll stations.

"We have directed the contractors to carry out the construction in a rolling manner, completing the construction as it progresses. The construction teams for the guardrails and median strips are all working independently and parallel to the locations where the top layer of concrete has been laid. At the current construction site, all materials for the road surface foundation have been fully gathered; all types of equipment, mixing stations and workers have been fully arranged to serve the construction, striving to complete the main route, the overpass, and the underpass by April 30."

Meanwhile, asphalt concrete paving lines at the Ham Nghi – Vung Ang project are also operating at full capacity, making up for the progress of the long rainy months. Mr. Tran An Thuyen, Deputy Commander of Joint Stock Company 471 said:

"Currently, the unit is constructing the section from Km514+300 to Km517+320. Up to now, the top layer of C16 asphalt concrete has been basically completed. On the route, there are still items such as median strips, corrugated iron guardrails, and some sections of the service road are being paved and concrete is being poured. The goal is to complete it in 20 days, trying to finish before April 30 to open to traffic in time."

Workers from contractors are ready to work through the night to bring the Bai Vot - Ham Nghi project to the finish line on April 30.

Mr. Nguyen Khac Trung, Director of Ham Nghi - Vung Ang project, said that 2025 is the year of many important events of the country, so from the beginning of 2025, the contractor and investor set the goal of opening the main route to traffic on April 30, up to now, the construction output has reached about 86%. In particular, the critical road is at 2 high hill locations that need to be technically handled, with about 1.4km currently being paved with hollow asphalt concrete. To complete 13km of C16 asphalt concrete/54.2km, the construction site is arranging 5 mixing stations and 6 asphalt concrete paving lines, if the weather is favorable, within 8-10 days, the asphalt concrete paving work will be completed, road markings will be painted and traffic safety systems will be installed.

"Regarding the basic equipment capacity, the construction units all exceed the requirements. The risk factor at the site is the weather. Since the Lunar New Year until now, there have only been a few short sunny spells, which is an unfavorable factor. However, we are in control of the main route opening target. The work on the main route can be completed before April 20, completing internal acceptance and inviting the state inspection council and related units to inspect and evaluate, ensuring the opening of traffic on April 30."

Remove obstacles to speed up progress

According to the Thang Long Project Management Board, at first the construction encountered numerous difficulties, but with active support from the locality, especially Ha Tinh province, the site clearance problems were soon resolved.

Mr. Pham Hoang Anh, Vice Chairman of Cam Xuyen District People's Committee, Ha Tinh shared: Ham Nghi - Vung Ang project passes through the district for more than 27km, to have a clean site to hand over to the contractor, the District Compensation and Site Clearance Steering Committee always accompanies the Compensation and Site Clearance Council to ensure timely and flexible removal of difficulties and problems.

"Over the past time, the land acquisition and compensation work has been carried out flexibly and creatively. The Land Acquisition and Compensation Council has made efforts to complete a very large volume, with many solutions such as propaganda, mobilization and application of individual mobilization measures. In the final stages, we have mobilized and paid money to households. As a result, we have cleared the entire main route with over 2,382 households, and we did not have to force any households," said Mr. Pham Hoang Anh.

At the construction site of the Vung Ang – Bung project, the construction atmosphere is also extremely bustling.

Mr. Tran Hai Dang, Commander of XL02 package, Phuong Thanh Contractor said: "By April 30, the two contractors Phuong Thanh and Lizen will finish paving and completing the main route, service roads, and traffic safety systems in areas that do not require weak ground treatment. However, the most difficult thing right now is dealing with weak ground that is waiting to be loaded, which greatly affects the progress."

Asphalt concrete paving lines are operating at full capacity.

Talking to reporters, Mr. Nguyen Quang Lam, Deputy Director of Vung Ang - Bung project shared that the site clearance problems have been basically resolved, currently there is only one location where the power line is stuck at the overpass at the beginning of the route; the construction of Gianh River bridge connecting Ba Don town and Bo Trach district, Quang Binh province encountered complex geology, 50% of the bridge pier locations encountered caves, the contractor had to mobilize specialized drilling equipment and adjust construction methods suitable for each pile/pier location.

"The construction of the Gianh River Bridge encountered many caves and grottoes. Without the efforts of the contractor and other parties, and without such geological conditions, the construction time would have been very long. However, everything has been overcome so far. The Gianh River Bridge is 2,810m long. Among the 12 component projects of the North-South Expressway, this bridge is among the longest to have been completed after 24 months of construction," Mr. Lam shared.

Mr. Nguyen Quang Lam added that contractors are currently taking advantage of every sunny day and hour to proceed with asphalt paving. Many sections on the route have completed the C16 asphalt layer and installed traffic safety systems. The Tien Chau - Van Hoa intersection has completed the forest conversion procedures, handed over the clean site to the construction contractor, and strived to complete the intersection and put it into operation along the main route.