Clearing Sites for Multi-Trillion-VND Projects: The Key to Driving Growth

Site clearance is currently identified by the province as a pivotal task to accelerate the progress of key projects, boost public investment disbursement, and drive local socio-economic development. However, practical implementation across various large-scale projects reveals numerous difficulties and bottlenecks that require urgent resolution.

Vice Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee Dinh Cong Su directly inspects and urges the progress of the Canh Tang Reservoir water pipeline project, which has a total investment of approximately 1,700 billion VND.

Clearing Land for Multi-Trillion-VND Projects

Following administrative mergers, Phu Tho Province is deploying a series of large-scale transport, industrial, and urban projects, resulting in a massive demand for site clearance. According to statistics from the Department of Agriculture and Environment, the province currently hosts 43 key projects requiring site clearance across a total area of over 20,201 hectares. This includes 18 public investment projects with a total budget of about 81,090 billion VND and 25 non-budget projects capitalized at approximately 356,294 billion VND. Major projects currently underway include the Lao Cai - Hanoi - Hai Phong railway, Ring Road 5 of the Capital Region, the Hoa Binh - Moc Chau expressway, the Hoa Binh - Hanoi regional connectivity route, the Son La expressway, alongside numerous industrial parks, urban areas, and eco-resort projects.

To dismantle bottlenecks in compensation, support, and resettlement, the Provincial People’s Committee has enacted several critical mechanisms and policies. Notable policies include regulations on compensation, support, and resettlement when the State recovers land; damage compensation and relocation support for crops and livestock; compensation for houses and structures attached to land; and vocational training and job introduction support for individuals whose land is recovered.

According to Vice Chairman Quach Tat Liem, refining these mechanisms has established a vital legal corridor for localities to standardize site clearance operations amidst a sharp surge in project volume following the mergers.

In addition to policy refinement, provincial leaders have conducted direct field inspections at various key project sites to resolve difficulties. Currently, the Hoa Binh - Hanoi regional connectivity route and the Son La expressway present some of the heaviest site clearance pressures. Recently, the Phu Tho Provincial People’s Committee issued Notification No. 269/TB-UBND, concluding the directives of Vice Chairman Quach Tat Liem at a conference dedicated to removing bottlenecks in compensation, support, and resettlement for this project. Localities were instructed to treat site clearance as the decisive factor determining overall project progress.

In Ky Son Ward, the local party committee and authorities have designated compensation, support, and resettlement as a core task to be completed within May 2026. For cases of intentional non-compliance or foot-dragging, local authorities must develop enforcement plans in strict accordance with regulations. Meanwhile, Luong Son, Muong Dong, and Nat Son communes—areas experiencing delays—have been ordered to review the collective and individual responsibilities of involved personnel, while finalizing all compensation work by the end of May 2026. Muong Dong commune alone still has 54 households across 3.36 hectares left unresolved. The Provincial People’s Committee demanded local authorities mobilize the entire political system and assign specific responsibilities to clear these obstacles.

In reality, many households remain concerned about compensation pricing, resettlement support policies, and land origins. Some cases have failed to cooperate during asset inventories or provide adequate documentation, protracting the formulation of compensation schemes.

Resolving Bottlenecks at the Grassroots Level to Accelerate Progress

According to Mr. Ngo Tien Duc, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment, the most significant obstacle currently lies in the overlapping and continuously changing legal regulations regarding land, compensation, support, and resettlement. Following the enactment of the 2024 Land Law and its guiding decrees, many localities remain confused during application. In particular, the shifting of decentralized authority regarding land recovery and the approval of compensation plans under Decree No. 49/2026/NĐ-CP has noticeably impacted site clearance progress. Furthermore, verifying household demographics to grant livelihood stabilization support has faced complications due to a lack of specific guidelines on proving joint land-use rights within a family.

Beyond the regional connectivity route, the Hoa Binh - Moc Chau Expressway is also confronting numerous implementation hurdles. The project spans 34 km with a total investment of nearly 10,000 billion VND, cutting through rugged mountainous terrain that features multiple mountain tunnels, viaducts, and high-pier bridges. According to the Hoa Binh Regional Project Management Board, while basic compensation and resettlement work has been finalized to hand over land to contractors, the complex geology, heavily weathered rock, and landslide risks have placed immense pressure on construction schedules. Notably, the Hoa Son Bridge on this route is a special-grade cable-stayed bridge with a 550-meter main span, making it the largest cable-stayed span in Vietnam today. Additionally, the project includes 3 mountain tunnels, 6 bridge piers exceeding 50 meters in height, and thousands of meters of viaducts, requiring highly advanced engineering. Despite these hurdles, construction units continue to run continuous shifts under the spirit of “3 shifts, 4 crews” and “overcoming the sun, conquering the rain,” striving to complete the project before December 31, 2027—cutting one year off the original schedule.

The Department of Agriculture and Environment evaluates that apart from legal and resource constraints, many localities currently face a shortage of resettlement land funds and synchronized infrastructure for resettlement areas. Public communication and dialogues in certain areas remain superficial, failing to generate high consensus.

To clear these bottlenecks, the province is focusing on reviewing and perfecting its land database, accelerating the re-issuance of Land Use Right Certificates (LURCs), enhancing training for site clearance personnel, and prioritizing resources for centralized resettlement zones. While promptly addressing legitimate public grievances, the province also asserts it will strictly penalize cases of intentional obstruction or exploitation of compensation policies. The ultimate goal is to foster public consensus, guarantee the timeline of driving projects, and expand the development space for the province in the new era.

Manh Hung