The provincial Project Management Board said on Thursday that the land would be used for Component Project 3 of the expressway.
The affected area consists entirely of plantation production forest in Dak Doa Commune. The decision followed a proposal from the project management board and an appraisal by the provincial Department of Agriculture and Environment.
The provincial government has instructed the department to oversee the forest conversion process, update forest and forestry land records, and complete land procedures needed for the project.
The project investor was also directed to coordinate with local authorities to carry out forest compensation in accordance with the law.
The Quy Nhon-Pleiku Expressway will run about 125 km through 16 communes and wards in Gia Lai. The four-lane expressway is designed for speeds of 100 kph and has a total investment of more than VND 43 trillion (about USD 1.64 billion).
The project has been divided into three sections and is classified as a national key infrastructure project, with implementation closely monitored by the government.
