Politburo member and Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee, Bui Thi Minh Hoai, on December 12 chaired a meeting to review progress, assess the current situation, and address challenges and obstacles in the project's execution. Solutions to accelerate the project's progress were also discussed.

Regarding land clearance progress in Hanoi, 786.2 hectares out of 798.65 hectares have been cleared, accounting for 98.44%, with 12.45 hectares remaining. This includes 2.93 hectares of agricultural land and 9.52 hectares of residential land. Additionally, land clearance for 5.73 hectares out of 9.96 hectares has been completed, and 34 of 36 high-voltage pylon foundation sites have been cleared. A total of 10,281 graves out of 10,347 have been relocated, or 99.36%. To date, 776.82 hectares have been handed over, covering 48.35 km of the total 52.73 km, or 91.7% of the project length.

Overview of the meeting. 

Hanoi has also made significant progress in resettlement, with housing provided for 337 out of 818 households. The land pricing for expropriation has been mostly approved in all districts, except for Dan Phuong District. The Hanoi People's Committee has directed the Department of Natural Resources and Environment to address the sequencing of land clearance, resettlement land allocation, and land pricing issues. The aim is to finalize land clearance and hand over all land by December 31, 2024, with some particularly challenging cases expected to be completed before the Lunar New Year.

Regarding the adjustment to Component 1.1, the Department of Transport has submitted a proposal to extend the implementation deadline to the end of Q2 2025, with land clearance and infrastructure relocation set to be completed by Q1 2025.

As for the funding allocated to Hanoi, VND14.3 trillion ($595 million) has been allocated, with VND10 trillion ($420 million) already disbursed, representing 71.81% of the total. In 2024, VND1.5 trillion ($63 million) has been disbursed out of the planned VND3.7 trillion ($150 million), or 41.68% of the target.

For the construction projects, Component 2.1 has seen four construction packages launched along 48.35 km of the route, with 32 active work fronts (23 for roads and 9 for bridges). The project is on track to be completed in Q4 2025. For Component 3, the public investment sub-project under the PPP model, surveys and technical designs have been ongoing from February to May 2024. 

By August 2024, the Vietnam Highways Directorate approved the detailed design. Regarding the overall investment adjustment, the total estimated cost for all seven components is expected to be reduced by about VND2.34 trillion ($95 million) from the initial estimates in Resolution No. 56/2022/QH15.

Regarding materials, for the embankment of Component 2.1, over 2.1 million m3 of sand (about 85% of the required volume) has been sourced from commercial suppliers and special quarries, ensuring sufficient supply. As for embankment soil, approximately 0.765 million m3 (about 65% of the required volume) has been gathered. The remaining volume will be sourced from excess material in Hoa Binh Province's quarries, with gravel aggregates being supplied from nearby quarries.

Component 3 is expected to begin construction by Q2 2025.

In her closing remarks, Hoai, who is also the head of the Steering Committee for the implementation of the Ring Road 4 Project in the Capital Region, acknowledged the substantial progress made, particularly by Hanoi, Hung Yen, and Bac Ninh, in overcoming challenges like land clearance and parallel road construction. 

She urged localities and agencies to continue cooperating and addressing emerging challenges proactively to ensure progress.

She also highlighted the importance of prioritizing the well-being of affected communities, ensuring that all support mechanisms are fully utilized to help those impacted by land clearance. Any issues that arise should be reported promptly, with solutions proposed in line with legal requirements.

The goal is to complete land clearance in all three provinces and cities by the Lunar New Year and to begin construction of Component 3 by Q2 2025. Hanoi's Party Secretary also mentioned that if no investors have joined by January 6, 2025, alternative investment plans should be considered, potentially shifting to public funding.

The Hanoi Ring Road No. 4 project involves the construction of a 113-kilometer highway spanning Hanoi, Hung Yen, and Bac Ninh. Starting from the junction of the Hanoi - Lao Cai Expressway and ending at the Noi Bai - Ha Long Expressway, the project has a total investment of VND55 trillion (around $2.26 billion) and is scheduled for completion by 2027.