Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee Vu Dai Thang inspects the progress of the project upgrading and expanding Road 70 in Xuan Phuong Ward, Tay Mo Ward and Son Dong Commune.
On April 19, Party Central Committee Member, Vice Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee and Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee Vu Dai Thang, along with a city delegation, conducted an on-site inspection of the progress of the project to upgrade and expand Road 70 and the project to renovate and expand National Highway 21B.
Adjust timeline and complete site clearance decisively
Reporting to the delegation, the authorities of Tay Mo Ward said the project to upgrade and expand Road 70, from Trinh Van Bo Road to the boundary of the former Nam Tu Liem District, was approved by the Hanoi People's Committee on March 15, 2024.
The project passes through Xuan Phuong Ward, Tay Mo Ward and Son Dong Commune, with Tay Mo Ward People's Committee as the investor.
The route has a total length of about 4.95 kilometers, consisting of two sections: the segment from Trinh Van Bo Road to Nga Bridge is about 3.25 kilometers long with a cross-section of 50 meters and the section from Thang Long Boulevard to the extended Ngo Thi Nham Road is about 1.7 kilometers long with a cross-section of 40 meters.
The project includes synchronized components such as roadways, an overpass across the Bac Hong–Van Dien railway, Trien Bridge over Tung Khe canal, sidewalks, green spaces, drainage, lighting, technical corridors, water supply, fire prevention systems and traffic safety facilities, with a total investment of more than VND3.377 trillion ($128.2 million).
Regarding site clearance, in Xuan Phuong Ward, the recovered land area is about 139,208.7 square meters, with land acquisition notices issued to 338 out of 510 households, reaching 66.3% and completion targeted for the fourth quarter of 2026.
A construction site of the Road 70 upgrading and expanding project.
In Tay Mo Ward, the recovered area totals about 68,879.6 square meters. Compensation has been paid and land handed over for 59 households with agricultural land totaling 13,338.7 square meters. The locality aims to complete site clearance in the fourth quarter of 2026.
In Son Dong Commune, the recovered area totals about 21,231.3 square meters. The main challenge is the lack of approved resettlement sites for affected households.
The Son Dong Commune People's Committee has submitted proposals to the Hanoi People's Committee for consideration and resolution, with a plan to complete site clearance in the fourth quarter of 2026.
During the inspection, Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee Vu Dai Thang emphasized the need to accelerate site clearance, considering it the decisive factor for overall project progress.
He stated that compensation, support and resettlement policies are largely sufficient. Any remaining issues must be promptly resolved through coordination among departments, while localities may flexibly apply existing city policies.
"There is no reason to delay progress. Slow site clearance will directly affect public investment disbursement and socio-economic development efficiency," he stressed.
Thang requested authorities in Tay Mo, Xuan Phuong and Son Dong to mobilize the entire political system to complete site clearance by the second quarter of 2026, instead of extending it to year-end.
Regarding unresolved resettlement issues, he tasked relevant city departments with urgently reviewing procedures and arranging resettlement in a timely manner.
At the same time, he required contractors to mobilize sufficient manpower and equipment and proceed with construction wherever land is available, aiming to complete all components in 2026 to promote urban development, increase land value and boost budget revenues.
The Chairman also instructed local authorities to strengthen public communication, encourage consensus and clearly explain policies to avoid complaints beyond the regulatory framework.
"Once completed, the project will create a key transport corridor that drives urban and socio-economic development in the area. Therefore, it must be implemented quickly, decisively and effectively," Thang emphasized.
Ensure residents' rights and implement synchronously to avoid waste
Later on the day, Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee Vu Dai Thang and the delegation inspected the progress of the National Highway 21B upgrade and expansion project.
Specifically, he reviewed two sections: the segment from the beginning of Provincial Road 427 to Kim Bai Town in the former Thanh Oai District and the segment from Kim Bai Town to the Vac intersection, now part of Thanh Oai Commune.
Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee Vu Dai Thang speaks to the authorities working on the National Highway 21B expansion project.
National Highway 21B is a radial transport route passing through eight communes and wards in southern Hanoi, with a total length of 41.77 kilometers and a width ranging from 11 to 35 meters.
After years of construction, 6.25 kilometers have been opened to traffic, 16.64 kilometers are under construction and 18.88 kilometers have not yet been implemented according to the plan.
The project to upgrade and expand the section from Provincial Road 427 to Kim Bai Town, with Thanh Oai Commune People's Committee as the investor, has a total investment of about VND345.5 billion ($13 million) and is scheduled for implementation from 2021 to 2026.
Construction has reached 82% completion, but approximately 520 meters remain unfinished due to site clearance issues.
The project from Kim Bai Town to Vac intersection, invested by Dan Hoa Commune People's Committee, has a total investment of about VND386.2 billion ($14.6 million) for the 2021–2026 period.
To date, most components, including the roadbed, pavement, drainage, landscaping and lighting, have been completed on handed-over land, with overall progress reaching about 95%. However, site clearance remains a key bottleneck.
Another section from Thach Bich Bridge to Provincial Road 427 and from Vac intersection to the boundary of the former Thanh Oai District, now under Binh Minh and Dan Hoa communes and invested by the Binh Minh Commune People's Committee, has a total investment of about VND382.3 billion ($14.5 million) for the same period.
Construction on cleared land has largely been completed, but slow site clearance continues to hinder overall progress.
At the inspection, Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee Vu Dai Thang issued key directives to accelerate progress while ensuring investment efficiency and protecting residents' interests.
He required all relevant units to fully apply existing mechanisms and policies, with the highest priority given to safeguarding people's rights.
Localities were also instructed to enhance outreach efforts to build public consensus and cooperation in upgrading the road.
Emphasizing the importance of National Highway 21B as a vital transport route connecting rapidly urbanizing southern areas of the Capital, Thang called for synchronized and methodical implementation.
He stressed that expansion must go beyond road widening to include upgrading technical infrastructure, such as sidewalks and undergrounding of power and telecommunications systems, to ensure urban aesthetics and avoid repeated excavation.
A stretch of the National Highway 21B runs through Binh Minh Commune.
Thang assigned the Hanoi Department of Construction to closely coordinate with localities to implement the project in line with urban development planning.
Upgrading plans must strike a balance in scale, avoid fragmented investment and ensure long-term coherence and effectiveness.
Regarding progress, Thang required all units to complete site clearance by June 2026, followed by the swift construction of the remaining components.
Although underground infrastructure work may be complex, the city encourages implementation during this phase to ensure long-term efficiency, the Chairman said.