The inspection aimed to address shortages of construction materials, remove infrastructure bottlenecks and ensure the schedule and quality of key national transport projects.
In Ca Mau Province, the Deputy PM held a working session with local authorities, investors and contractors. Major concerns included shortages of sand and aggregate, as well as weak soil conditions along the Ca Mau-Dat Mui Expressway.
Major General Nguyen Huu Ngoc, Commander of Army Corps 12, said the Ca Mau-Dat Mui Expressway and the road to Hon Khoai Island have a combined investment of about 84 trillion VND (3.24 billion USD). Some 2,500-3,000 engineers and workers are currently working on the sites, with overall progress reaching about 8%.
The projects require around 3.5 million cubic metres of river sand, but only about 1 million cubic metres has so far been supplied. Of the 4.5 million cubic metres of aggregate required, about 3 million cubic metres has been secured, while the remaining 1.5 million cubic metres of high-strength concrete aggregate is mainly dependent on supplies from An Giang Province.
Contractors proposed replacing the weak-soil treatment method along about 22km of the Ca Mau-Dat Mui Expressway with soil-cement piles. They said the change, which would be funded from the project contingency and would not increase the total investment, could help ensure completion by the end of 2028. The Hon Khoai Island bridge is scheduled for completion in 2029.
Pham Gia Tuc stressed that the projects are of strategic importance to the Mekong Delta's socio-economic development and must not be allowed to fall behind schedule. At the same time, he said quality must remain the top priority, particularly given the area's weak geological conditions.
He instructed relevant ministries and local authorities to urgently reassess quarry reserves, streamline licensing procedures and increase extraction capacity. If domestic supplies prove insufficient, the possibility of importing construction materials from Cambodia should be studied.
The Deputy Prime Minister also called on project owners and contractors to increase manpower and equipment and organise round-the-clock construction to accelerate progress while ensuring safety and quality. He asked the Ministry of National Defence to continue directing relevant units to speed up the Ca Mau-Dat Mui Expressway.
Regarding a proposal to switch to viaduct construction, Pham Gia Tuc urged caution, stressing that any solution must neither prolong construction nor cause wasteful investment. “Projects assigned by the National Assembly and the Prime Minister cannot be allowed to fall behind schedule, but their quality must be ensured,” he said.
