51 construction officials disciplined

Vietnam’s building code in a "messy" situation

Equipment is carried to the building at 8B Le Truc Street to serve the demolition of illegaly-constructed floors of the building. — VNA/VNS Photo Manh Khanh

The building, conspicuous in its proximity to Ho Chi Minh mausoleum in the centre of Hanoi, and the city’s struggles in handling the issue despite Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc’s repeated order to promptly settle this “long-standing issue” in the last four years, have drawn a great deal of public criticism.

Truong Van Hai, Chairman of Bac Nam Civil Construction Investment Joint Stock Company, which was appointed by the district People’s Committee to carry out the demolition, said that between April 22 and May 12, the company would be preparing equipment for removing the 17th and 18th floors of the building.

“The company’s workers are installing hoists in front of the building. The hoists would bring construction waste from the top of the building to the ground,” he said.  

On Thursday afternoon, local authorities built fences and restricted traffic on the area around the building including Tran Phu Street. Police and security teams were at the area to ensure security for the installation of such hoists.

According to the construction licence No11/GPXD-SXD granted by Hanoi’s Construction Department in March 24, 2014, the apartment and office building at 8B Le Truc was licensed to have 18 storeys and four basements with total height of 53m and total floor area of 30,000 sq.m.

However, the building investor – Le Truc Garment Joint Stock Company – built 19 floors and an attic which increased the building’s height to 69 metres and total floor area to 36,000 sq.m.

The violation was detected five years ago. In the first phase of the demolition of illegally-constructed floors since November 2015, the 19th floor and the attic were removed.

Due to the complexity of the architecture and structure of the building, the demolition in the second phase requires the removal of most of the pillars and beams of the building, which poses high risk to the whole building. Moreover, most of the areas from the 18th floor and below have been purchased.

The second stage of dismantling therefore faced opposition from the people who have bought the apartments.

At a meeting with Hanoi’s leaders on April 20, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc asked for solutions to ten major pending problems in the city, one of which is the postponed demolition of illegal construction at the building on Le Truc Street.

The PM asked local authorities to tackle the violation, ensuring its construction planning in that neighbourhood as well as safety for the building. The demolition work must be done promptly as it had been delayed for years, Phuc said. VNS