Even after several upgrades, a road in Ha Tinh Province, which cost VND500 billion (USD23.79 million), is still in a state of decay.

New road looks old

Just a few months after the 16-kilometre route opened to traffic, on January 1, 2009, it already began showing cracks and holes.

The Song Da Group, investor of the project under a BOT (Build-Operate-Transfer) deal, blamed these problems on subcontractors.

The worsening situation has caused anger among local residents and authorities, who have asked that the investor do something to improve the road.

Recently, Vo Kim Cu, Chairman of the Ha Tinh Provincial People’s Committee proposed that the Ministry of Transport suspend operations of the toll station if necessary repairs are not made.

Who is to blame?

Lam Viet Huan, former head of the project’s management board told DTiNews that the problems may have arisen from lax management during the construction process.

Responsibility has to be shared between, not only the investor and the board, but also the Transport Engineering Construction & Consultant Company No.1, which provided supervisory and consulting services, said Huan.

Transport Engineering Consulting Joint Stock Company No. 533 (Tecco533), a design subcontractor for the project, provided substandard services, Huan noted. He said that the firm's design for the areas where the road winds to be too narrow, leading to the need for their expansion.

Solutions

The project's investor has begun to take some action, asking for the selection of a more competent engineering consulting company, who would scrutinise the project in order to find out the exact reasons for the rapid deterioration.

Song Da Infrastructure One-Member Limited Company, a subsidiary of Song Da Group, signed a contract with Institute of Transportation Science and Technology in October 2011. Under their contract, the institute will finalise a comprehensive report on the situation for submission to the investor by mid-December.

Bad design forces repairs

Substandard construction