Can Tho - Ca Mau Expressway: Construction is slow, at risk of not reaching the "finish line" in 2025

According to the plan, the Can Tho - Ca Mau expressway was completed in December 2025 (construction started on January 1, 2023). However, to date, the total project volume has only reached 66.5%, with the risk of not reaching the finish line in time for 2025. Among the reasons for the project's slow progress, there are subjective causes from many construction contractors.

When the Can Tho - Ca Mau Expressway is put into operation, it will connect the longitudinal expressway in the West (from Ho Chi Minh City to Ca Mau), contributing to ensuring national defense and security, promoting economic development not only in the Mekong Delta but also in the whole country. Recognizing the importance of such a route, in recent times, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha, and leaders of the Ministry of Construction have repeatedly inspected, removed difficulties, and requested investors and contractors to ensure that the project is put into operation in 2025. However, in reality, the construction of many packages and items of the project is currently very sluggish, "snail-like", and some items are behind schedule.

Construction units of the Can Tho - Ca Mau expressway at Ba Chum culvert area, near IC12 intersection (part of package XL3). Photo: TAN THAI

According to the direction of the Ministry of Construction, by May 2025, all bridges, box culverts, cement-reinforced earth pillars, and asphalt concrete pavements must be completed for the route connecting IC12 intersection to Vo Van Kiet Street (Ca Mau province). However, according to SGGP reporters on June 10 in this area, many projects are still unfinished, machinery is immobile, and there are no workers or engineers working at the construction site.

Mr. Ha Tan Hien (residing in Ho Thi Ky commune, Thoi Binh district, Ca Mau province) - near IC12 intersection, worried: "Reading newspapers, watching TV, seeing Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh direct to complete the project before December 19, 2025, we are very happy. But looking at the construction site still in disarray, workers sometimes working and sometimes not, I am afraid the road will not be open to traffic this year."

The remaining time for construction of the Can Tho - Ca Mau expressway project is 6 months, but information from the My Thuan Project Management Board (project investor) shows that, up to now, the total construction output of the project has only reached about 66.2%, and the bridge decks of 13 bridges on the route have not been completed yet... Explaining the situation of workers working and resting, Mr. To Van Dut (participating in the construction of XL3 package, in Ca Mau province) said that it has been raining a lot recently, so the construction has been affected. "Our team is responsible for unloading the sand layer to construct the road surface. However, when constructing the first layer of stone, it rained continuously, and a lot of water accumulated under the embankment layer, so the construction had to be temporarily suspended," said Mr. Dut.

Meanwhile, explaining the reason for the delay in the overall progress of the project, the representative of My Thuan Project Management Board said that the work of loading, filling the foundation and mobilizing sand and stone materials has not yet met the plan; in addition, some contractors such as VNCN E&C Construction and Engineering Joint Stock Company, Hai Dang Joint Stock Company, Thi Son Production and Construction Company Limited, and 620 Infrastructure Investment and Development Company are still slow in construction. The construction is facing difficulties due to the rainy season...

Faced with the above reality, the leaders of the Ministry of Construction said that they have requested investors and contractors to gather and bring all stone materials to the construction site before June 30 to load to reduce the pressure on sand sources and to carry out road surface foundation construction when construction sites are available. Complete all unloading work before September 30. For sections of the road that require vacuum treatment, urgently mobilize sufficient materials and equipment for mass construction. Urgently produce and order precast components and traffic safety systems. Proactively apply technical solutions to shorten the waiting time for subsidence. In addition, it is necessary to organize the construction of road surface items immediately after unloading. Road surface foundation construction is mainly focused on from September to December, which is still the rainy season, so it is necessary to have a plan to mobilize sufficient financial resources, machinery, equipment, and human resources to organize construction in 3 shifts and 4 teams.

For contractors who fail to meet the schedule, the Ministry of Construction requires them to mobilize financial resources, ensure adequate machinery and equipment, and fulfill their contractual commitments. In case they cannot meet the requirements, the investor must transfer the workload, resolutely replace another contractor, and by all means complete the project on time as directed by the Prime Minister.

The Can Tho - Ca Mau Expressway Construction Project has a main route length of over 110km, passing through Can Tho City, Hau Giang, Kien Giang and Ca Mau provinces. The extended route is 25.85km long. The project is divided into 2 component projects including the Can Tho - Hau Giang section and the Hau Giang - Ca Mau section, with a scale of 4 lanes, a total investment of 27,523 billion VND, including 4 construction packages.

TAN THAI - VINH TUONG

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/tuyen-cao-toc-can-tho-ca-mau-thi-cong-cham-nguy-co-khong-kip-ve-dich-trong-nam-2025-post800568.html