Slow development of resettlement zones blamed for Long Thanh Airport delay

Dong Nai (VNA) – Leaders in Dong Nai have criticised the provincial project management board for delays to resettlement zones for people who have to relocate for the construction of Long Thanh International Airport in the southern province.

This in turn has caused lengthy delays in land acquisition for the project.

The management board has failed to demonstrate active efforts to prepare the necessary legal documents for the start of technical and social infrastructure development at the Loc An – Binh Son and Binh Son resettlement zones, said Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Tran Van Vinh.

These components have lagged behind schedule, he said.

Vinh urged the board to fast-track legal procedures for work on the Loc An – Binh Son resettlement zone to start this April.

He also asked the board to prioritise demarcation and infrastructure development for 500 resettlement land lots so families living in the area designated for the project’s first phase can be relocated quickly.

It must also begin work on other components for the resettlement zones, such as schools, medical centres and markets, the vice chairman added.

The 5,580-hectare Long Thanh International Airport will cover six communes in Dong Nai’s Long Thanh district. To clear the site for the project, Dong Nai will have to acquire land from 18 organisations and nearly 5,300 local households.

Once fully operational, the airport is expected to reduce the load on Tan Son Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City. Its total investment is 336.63 trillion VND (14.45 billion USD), with construction divided into three phases.

In the first phase, a runway and one passenger terminal along with other support works will be built to serve 25 million passengers and 1.2 million tonnes of cargo each year. This phase, covering an area of 1,810 hectares, is expected to be completed by 2025.

In the second, another runway and another passenger terminal will be built to serve around 50 million passengers and 1.5 million tonnes of cargo a year.

After the third, the airport will be able to serve 100 million passengers and 5 million tonnes of cargo a year./.