Phan Khanh Toan, former director of package No.4 and Phan Ngoc Thom, former vice director of packages No.2 and 3B of the Da Nang-Quang Ngai Expressway, were taken into custody for alleged breaches in construction causing serious consequences, according to the investigation police department of the Ministry of Public Affairs.

Another three former directors were charged with the same offence and were placed under house arrest.

They included Vu Nhu Khue of construction package No.1, Quan Trong Tuan of package No.3B and Nguyen Quoc Hai of package No.6.

Preliminary investigations concluded that the five had shown signs of wrongdoing during the construction and acceptance process of the Da Nang-Quang Ngai Expressway, causing losses to the State.

The 140km-long expressway was built in five years by the State-owned Vietnam Expressway Corporation with a total investment of VNĐ34.5 trillion (US$1.4 billion). The first section running from Da Nang City to Tam Ky City of Quang Nam Province was opened to traffic in August 2017, and the last section from Tam Ky to Quang Ngai was in September 2018.

Large potholes were reported on the former after 14 months of operation. The size of the damaged road surface was 70 sq.m.

Some bridges on the expressway also showed signs of leaks.

Before Tuesday’s arrests, police had arrested four people in connection to the expressway.

They were Nguyen Tien Thanh, former director of the expressway project management board; Ha Van Binh, former director of construction package No.7; and Pham Dinh Phu and Nguyen Thanh An, former general director and vice general director of package No.5 executive board, respectively. — VNS

Four arrested for violations in expressway project

Four former and current executives have been detained in connection with alleged irregularities in the construction and work approval of a 139-kilometer-long expressway connecting Danang with Quang Ngai Province.