Newly-appointed Da Nang Party Committee Secretary Truong Quang Nghia paid an inspection visit on Monday to the site where a road tunnel at the intersection of Dien Bien Phu and Nguyen Tri Phuong streets is now underway. 

Secretary Nghia (left) at the tunnel construction site

This was Mr Nghia’s first local field trip since taking office as municipal Party Committee Secretary in 7 October.

The tunnel is one of the city’s key projects in preparation for the upcoming APEC Economic Leaders’ Week 2017 (AELW) to be held next month in the locality.  This international large-scale event is the culmination of Viet Nam’s year-long hosting of APEC meetings. 

The municipal government recently approved a new completion deadline of 29 October for the project, about 2 months later than the original scheduled deadline.  Previously, the tunnel completion date had been pushed back for 2 times.  The main reason for the work being behind schedule was that the construction units faced some difficulties due to the narrow construction site and unexpected complex geological conditions at the site, plus other related issues.

According to the Da Nang Management Board of Priority Infrastructure Projects, the tunnel project’s developer, 80 % of the construction work has been completed to date.

In particular, the majority of the construction of the reinforced concrete tunnel, the drainage system along the tunnel, and the 2 frontage roads at both sides of the tunnel has been basically completed.

During his inspection visit to the site, Secretary Nghia urged the construction units to make even greater efforts to complete the project no later than 29 October in order for the AELW 2017 general rehearsal to take place smoothly in the city one day later.

The city leader noted that, from now until the deadline, the site’s workers should continue working 3 shifts a day to keep the progress on track.  More attention should be paid to expediting the progress of this important project in a prompt manner whilst ensuring its quality and overall aesthetic values. 

According to the Management Board, given the current favourable weather condition and greater efforts by the construction units, the remaining work is expected to be completed ahead of the new schedule in order for the tunnel to be officially opened to traffic on 29 October.

With just over 20 days to go to AELW 2017 in the city, hundreds of workers at this site are now racing against time working around the clock to complete the building of the approach roads to the tunnel, and the installation of lighting, traffic lights and surveillance camera systems, along with the implementation of other auxiliary facilities within the tunnel.

On the same day, Secretary Nghia also inspected the inspection work for AELW 2017 at the APEC International Media Centre on Cach Mang Thang Tam Street in Cam Le District.