On March 31, in Lai Chau province, a working delegation from DEOCA Group, led by Mr. Ho Minh Hoang, Chairman of the Board of Directors DEOCA Group, conducted an on-site inspection of the road tunnel project's construction progress through Hoang Lien pass.

According to a report from the Project Management Board, immediately after the groundbreaking ceremony, the joint venture of contractors promptly mobilized personnel as well as machinery and equipment to commence the initial construction works. The project management office has been established in Sa Pa ward, Lao Cai province while the on-site laboratory has been approved by the project owner and is ready to support quality control activities for construction works.

A representative of the Project Executive Board reported on the project implementation status.

As of now, construction teams have simultaneously deployed across Lai Chau province. Specifically, service road No. 1 is complete, while progress is being accelerated on service roads No. 2 and No. 3 to access the West tunnel portal. On the main route from Km0 to Km3+219, local contractors are currently conducting land clearing, excavation, and embankment for the roadbed.

Starting March 31, 2026, the contractor joint venture began bored piling for Bridge No. 6, which is one of the most structurally complex bridge items on the route. Simultaneously, the shop drawings for the West tunnel portal, road surface, bored piles, and main girders of Bridge No. 3 and Bridge No. 6 are being finalized and submitted for vetting.

Service road No. 1 is complete, while progress on service roads No. 2 and No. 3 for West tunnel portal access is being expedited.

Despite initial achievements, the Executive Board candidly highlighted several ongoing challenges. The primary bottleneck remains the site clearance in Lao Cai province, where the inventory of crops and assets, along with land origin verification, is still pending. Consequently, the entire site on Lao Cai side, including the East tunnel portal, Service Roads No. 4 and 5, and Bridge No. 10 has yet to be handed over. This situation directly impacts the planned simultaneous construction from both tunnel portals, disrupting the project's overall momentum. Furthermore, access roads to Piers No. 2 and No. 3 do not yet meet construction standards; specifically, Sin Chay route in Lao Cai is only 3 meters wide, posing risks of congestion and safety hazards during the mobilization of large-scale equipment and materials.

Conducting a field inspection, Mr. Ho Minh Hoang, Chairman of DEOCA Group, recognized and highly commended the efforts of the Project Executive Board and contractors during this challenging initial phase in the Northwest highlands.

Given the lingering site clearance issues in Lao Cai, Mr. Ho Minh Hoang requested the Project Executive Board to coordinate closely with the investor and local authorities. The goal is to align on a site handover schedule to ensure the objective of simultaneous tunneling from both portals remains on track.

“Construction cannot proceed without a clean site. We must promptly engage in specific working sessions with local authorities. If a site handover timeline cannot be agreed upon, we may propose a suspension of implementation”, Mr. Ho Minh Hoang emphasized.

The Group’s leader also tasked the Project Executive Board with urgently researching and proposing solutions to the investor for direct cost compensation. This comes in response to the recent surge in material and fuel prices, which has significantly impacted the project's financial plans and construction efficiency.

DEOCA Group Chairman Ho Minh Hoang presents gifts to motivate project personnel.

Hoang Lien tunnel project, which connects Sa Pa Ward in Lao Cai province with Binh Lu Commune in Lai Chau province, has a total investment ofUSD125 million. Funding is sourced from the Central budget, Lai Chau’s provincial budget, and other legal sources.

Classified as a Group A and special-grade project, it is recognized as the highest road tunnel in Vietnam and one of the most modern mountain-crossing tunnels in the Northwest. The total length of the route is 8.8 km, featuring a 2.63 km main tunnel, a 2.65 km auxiliary tunnel, a system of 11 bridges, and connecting roads at both ends.

The project is invested in by Lai Chau provincial Construction Investment Project Management Board. The contractor joint venture includes DEOCA Group, 299 Construction and Trading JSC, 68 Trading Construction and Service and JSC, Thanh Tuyen MTV Ltd., No. 10 Lai Chau Ltd., and Khanh Hung Construction & Trading MTV Ltd. Package No. 23 is valued at over USD99.5 million, with a construction period of 720 days and a target completion date in November 2027.

Once completed, Hoang Lien tunnel will eliminate the traffic “black spot” on the O Quy Ho pass along National Highway 4D. It will establish a seamless trade corridor between Sa Pa and Lai Chau while boosting logistics, tourism, and cross border trade through Ma Lu Thang international border gate of Vietnam and Jinshuihe international border gate of China.

News: Hoang Sang - Photo: Tuan Linh