Many key projects are behind schedule due to land acquisition problems.

Currently, only the Thanh Binh Bridge project is basically on schedule. *In the photo: The vehicle and machinery team of the No. 6 Construction and Trading Company Limited is constructing the Thanh Binh Bridge project.*

The Nam Rom River Basin Multi-Disaster Management Project has a total investment of more than VND 981 billion (ODA capital); implementation period is from 2021 - 2025. The project has a total length of more than 14.5km, passing through 4 communes of Dien Bien district and 6 wards of Dien Bien Phu city, with 643 households subject to land acquisition. According to Mr. Nguyen Huu Hiep, Director of the Provincial Agricultural Project Management Board (the investor), currently, in addition to the two packages No. 6 and 7 (construction of embankments from Bom La and works on the route; construction, dredging, and clearing of the riverbed from C4 bridge to C9 bridge) that have started construction, other packages of the project are still stuck in site clearance work.

The project is delayed due to difficulties in verifying the origin of the land, the land acquisition area is located along a river, the origin of the land is disputed; people buying and selling only have handwritten papers, buying and selling many times, so it is very difficult to verify the land owner. In addition, 45 households in Bai Mau village, Thanh Yen commune (Dien Bien district) do not agree with the compensation price for land acquisition; do not agree to reclaim the construction waste area; do not want to receive compensation and support for land acquisition but want a land-for-land exchange plan. Meanwhile, according to the request of the French development agency AFD (funding aid agency), before giving the order to start construction, it is required to have a clean site and a report on the action plan for land acquisition and resettlement, along with an environmental and social management plan prepared by the construction contractor.

The Road Project connecting key economic zones in the dynamic economic zone along Highway 279 and Highway 12 (Dynamic Road Project), after 20 months from the date of commencement (January 2022), many packages have not been able to be constructed due to the inability to obtain site clearance. According to the plan, the project's construction period is only over 1 year to be completed (2021 - 2024). By the end of August 25, the project's construction volume had only reached 29.3%, mainly completing 3 bridges over the Nam Rom River and part of the roadbed, drainage works on the main and branch routes. From June 2023 to now, it has been almost impossible to construct any part of the project due to lack of land.

The main reason is that in many cases, land use names, boundaries, and land plot areas must be adjusted. The work of verifying the origin of land in Dien Bien Phu City is very difficult due to the history of land management. Therefore, when implementing the completion of land records and implementing them in accordance with the regulations of the City People's Committee, there are many obstacles, which take a lot of time, leading to very slow progress in planning. In addition, there are difficulties with the overlapping area between the Western Basin Road project (already settled) and the main route of the Dynamic Road Project.

These are just two of a series of key projects in the province that are behind schedule. According to the Department of Planning and Investment, the province is currently implementing 11 key projects on technical infrastructure development, social infrastructure and 26 projects on urban housing development, urban areas, trade and services. The total investment of the 11 projects on technical infrastructure development, social infrastructure is more than 3,439 billion VND. Of which, the Nam Rom River Basin Multi-Disaster Management project will be implemented until 2025; 7 projects are scheduled to be completed by 2024 and 3 projects must be completed in 2023. However, by the end of August 2023, only the Thanh Binh Bridge Construction Project has basically ensured progress, with construction volume reaching about 84% of the contract value, while the remaining projects are behind schedule due to site clearance problems.

In addition to the cause of land acquisition problems, the coordination between related units is not close and not drastic; responsibility is not high. For example, the Dynamic Road Project in Dien Bien Phu City, on August 10, 2023, the investor completed the documents of 29/34 households and sent them to the City Land Management Center for appraisal and adjustment of the land recovery notice. However, after 20 days, the City Department of Natural Resources and Environment has not yet completed the appraisal to submit to the city for approval.

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