The construction of the first phase of Long Thanh International Airport may be completed in just three years, two years ahead of schedule, which is supposed to start in 2020 and complete in 2025, if the land for the project is made available.

Deputy Minister of Transport Le Dinh Tho speaks at the meeting on March 11 

On March 11, Deputy Minister of Transport Le Dinh Tho worked with the Dong Nai government to discuss the progress of land compensation, resettlement and reclamation, part of the main airport project.

Nguyen Ngoc Hung, deputy director of the Dong Nai Department of Natural Resources and Environment, said that the department had submitted to the provincial government the decision to reclaim the land for the project and approve compensation for the Dong Nai Rubber Company.

Hung also said that the authorities of Long Thanh District had earlier made an announcement on reclaiming land of 5,000 hectares for the project to 5,284 households in six communes.

The provincial Project Management Board has collaborated with the Departments of Planning & Investment and Construction to review the design documents of various components of the project to submit the results to the provincial government. The progress of reviewing and approving the subprojects is eight weeks behind schedule.

As planned, in March, Dong Nai Rubber Company will get 50% compensation for its rubber farm. Besides this, the competent agencies are in the process of urging landowners to hand over sites to construct two resettlement buildings.

Dinh Quoc Thai, chairman of Dong Nai Province, said that the progress of site clearance has to be monitored, as its slowdown will affect the progress of the whole project.

“The departments and agencies should promote close collaboration in the future,” Thai said, adding that the Department of Natural Resources and Environment should quickly submit documents and dossiers related to the project to the authorities of Long Thanh District to ensure the measuring and appraising of the land go smoothly.

Speaking at the meeting, deputy minister Tho said in accordance with the decision made by the prime minister, the jobs of land compensation, reclamation, clearance and resettlement had been entrusted to the province.

The departments, agencies and the authorities of Long Thanh District were required to reach a consensus over all the developments of the project.

The Ministry of Transport is mobilizing the workforce to cooperate with the relevant units and foreign consultants to speed up the Long Thanh International Airport project, including on components such as infrastructure, electricity and water supply services, drainage systems and the roads connecting the airport to HCMC.

As calculated, the project will be submitted to the State appraisal council for approval at the end of April. It will be sent to the National Assembly in October and to the prime minister at the end of 2019.

Work on the project is slated to begin in October 2020 and by 2025, the first phase of Long Thanh International Airport should be put into service.

However, Tho insisted that the construction of the airport will be completed in three years if the site is ready.

SGT