$32mn unused road in Vietnam's Lam Dong now a wasteland
Monday, August 26, 2024, 12:56 GMT+7
A bypass project valued at VND800 billion ($32.1 million) along National Highway 20 in Bao Loc City, located in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong, has fallen into severe disrepair despite not yet being completed or opened for use.
The 15.6-kilometer bypass, intended to run from Loc Chau Commune to Loc Nga Commune in Bao Loc City, broke ground seven years ago with the aim of alleviating traffic congestion on National Highway 20.
The road was slated to open in 2019.
However, the project, which is about 70 percent complete, has been stalled since October 2020 out of a lack of funding, leaving the unfinished road to deteriorate.
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| The position at the road project where an accident happened and killed one person in 2023. Photo: M.V. / Tuoi Tre |
After five years of suspension, large sections of the bypass have severely deteriorated, with significant subsidence and cracks appearing throughout the road.
In March 2023, authorities banned vehicles from using the road following a fatal accident that claimed two lives. Despite the road’s unfinished state, many had previously used it.
Even with the ban in place, another fatal accident occurred at the end of last year, resulting in the death of a road user.
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| A car plunged off a bridge along the road, killing two people in March 2023. Photo: M.V. / Tuoi Tre |
The Ministry of Transport has handed over the road project to the Department for Roads of Vietnam for management during the suspension.
The administration in Lam Dong Province has proposed the prime minister allocate public investment to complete the project.
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| A resident travels on the road while it has yet to finish and has deteriorated. Photo: M.V. / Tuoi Tre |
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