HCMC – Investors behind delayed rest area projects on the North-South Expressway could face contract termination and project revocation if they fail to complete required public service facilities by June 30, 2026, according to the Department for Roads of Vietnam.
The agency has ordered project management boards, investors, and project companies to accelerate construction of rest areas along the eastern North-South Expressway section from Quang Ngai to Khanh Hoa provinces.
According to the department, many projects remain behind schedule despite repeated requests to speed up implementation. The warning follows a directive from Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Tuc, who instructed the Ministry of Construction to accelerate the development of expressway rest areas and report progress to the prime minister on a weekly basis.
The department said public service facilities must be completed by June 30, 2026, while the entire rest area projects must be finished within 2026 in line with contract requirements.
The facilities are needed to serve motorists and support toll collection on state-funded expressway sections. Required infrastructure includes parking areas, rest spaces, temporary accommodations for drivers, restrooms, information centers, road safety communication facilities, and emergency response stations.
Investors have been instructed to revise construction schedules, prepare detailed daily and weekly plans, and mobilize additional workers, equipment, and materials to accelerate progress.
The department said it would assess the implementation capacity of investors that fail to make sufficient progress by the deadline and could terminate contracts and reclaim projects under applicable regulations.
Investors will be held responsible if delays affect traffic safety or disrupt plans to collect tolls on expressway sections.
Project management boards have been directed to strengthen supervision, monitor construction progress, and support investors in resolving implementation issues. Regional road management authorities and traffic police have also been tasked with facilitating procedures and ensuring traffic safety during construction.
