At a conference on Wednesday chaired by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh in Can Tho City, the Deputy Minister of Transport, Nguyen Duy Lam, revealed the scale of the transportation projects in the Mekong Delta region. The nine key national projects, with a total investment of VND106 trillion (USD4.24 billion), are crucial for the region's development. However, construction of eight out of the nine projects, scheduled for completion between 2025 and 2027, is currently facing challenges due to the shortage of sand. The remaining project, the My An-Cao Lanh expressway, is expected to begin in early 2025.

"Land acquisition for the ongoing expressway projects is almost finished, which meets the construction schedule," Lam said. "However, the progress of the component projects is lagging by 4-15 per cent, as the extraction and supply of sand needed for the projects have not met the requirements."

According to the transport ministry, although the prime minister has closely directed localities such as Tien Giang, Ben Tre, Vinh Long, and Soc Trang to complete the sand extraction permit procedures by August 30, actual progress has still not met the needs for construction of the transportation projects.

"Many sand extraction sites in the localities surveyed have yet to meet the required quality and reserves, necessitating the search for alternative sources, which has delayed the granting process," he explained.

To ensure the timely completion of the projects, the Ministry of Transport has recommended that the prime minister direct localities to accelerate land acquisition and relocate high-voltage power lines so that the project sites can be handed over by October.

Speaking at the conference, the PM requested concerned ministries and localities to agree on a substantive response to the 500-day emulation campaign to complete the expressway construction and strive to fulfil some 600 kilometres running through the region by the end of 2025.

The delta is set to have six expressways totalling 1,188 kilometres under the road network planning for 2021-2030 with a vision to 2050, with 120 kilometres of road being put into operation while construction is underway on an initial 428 kilometres. During that period, feasibility studies for the other 215 kilometres would be in progress. Chinh asked them to handle challenges in project management and site clearance work and ensure sufficient filling materials for road construction.

He stressed that the work stated in the decrees of the National Assembly and government and the directions of the prime minister needed to be implemented in a frictionless and effective fashion.