Preventing delays in site clearance for projects

Many localities remain slow

According to the Department of Agriculture and Environment, in 2026 the city has 431 projects requiring site clearance with a total area of 14,942.3 hectares, involving 165,604 households and 424 organizations. Among them are 221 state budget-funded projects, 197 non-budget-funded projects, and 13 land auction projects.

In the first quarter of 2026, 53 projects committed to completing site clearance in 32 localities, covering 577.2 hectares and involving 5,079 households and 50 organizations. By mid-March, about 80% of the required site clearance area had been completed.

Specifically, 33 projects requiring site clearance for 421.7 hectares, involving 3,688 households and 34 organizations, were basically completed in the first quarter in 21 localities, including: An Quang, An Thanh, Chi Minh, Dai Son, Gia Loc, Ha Dong, Ha Tay, Ke Sat, Mao Dien, Nam An Phu, Quyet Thang, Yet Kieu, Bac An Phu, Dong Hai, Hai An, Le Thanh Nghi, Ngo Quyen, Pham Su Manh, Thuy Nguyen, Tran Lieu, and Hoa Binh.

However, 18 projects requiring site clearance for 282.3 hectares of land, involving 3,630 households and 18 organizations, had not completed clearance in the first quarter of 2026 in 11 localities. These projects are located in Binh Giang, Cam Giang, Mao Dien, Phu Thai, Tien Lang, Vinh Bao, Vinh Lai, Yet Kieu, Hai An, Kien An, and Thien Huong.

Amid delays in site clearance, Vice Chairman of the city People’s Committee Le Trung Kien recently chaired a meeting with local authorities to identify causes and remove obstacles. According to representatives of the localities, the delay in completing site clearance as committed is mainly due to a number of households not agreeing with the compensation and support policies when the State re land.

The main reasons include compensation and support prices being considered too low, while some residents request negotiations in the form of purchasing land-use rights, crops, and assets on the land. Many households, although not eligible, still demand resettlement before agreeing to hand over their land.

In addition, some households have privately bought or transferred agricultural land but have not completed procedures to register changes in land use. The lack of necessary legal documents has caused difficulties in determining land ownership.

Mr. Nguyen Phong Doanh, Chairman of the People’s Committee of Kien An Ward, said that the ward is implementing the project to build a road connecting National Highway 5 and National Highway 10, which requires the recovery of 17.2 hectares of land involving 820 organizations and individuals. Households whose residential land is acquired for the project all wish to be resettled in two resettlement areas: Tay Son Regulation Area and Le Duan Road (Route 2). However, both resettlement projects have not yet been constructed, while residents request resettlement land before handing over the site.

Accelerating site clearance

In 2026, the city has a large number of projects requiring site clearance and a significant area of land to be acquired. During the first quarter, local authorities focused heavily on preparation and the organization of elections, while officials responsible for site clearance had to handle multiple tasks simultaneously. As a result, the progress of site clearance was affected to some extent.

However, in order to achieve the city’s GRDP growth target of 13% or higher, the city identifies public investment disbursement as the most important driver for stimulating economic growth. Therefore, the city has requested local authorities, departments, and sectors to accelerate their efforts and take greater responsibility in carrying out compensation, support, and site clearance for projects and infrastructure works.

A review shows that several major projects in the city require large-scale site clearance, including: The construction of Provincial Road 394B, connecting Provincial Road 395 to the North–South axis road of the former Thanh Mien District, involving Ke Sat, Binh Giang, and Duong An communes; The National Highway 37 bypass project passing through Gia Loc Commune; The Ring Road 2 project on the Tan Vu – Hung Dao – Bui Vien route, involving An Duong and Hung Dao wards; The road project connecting National Highway 5 and National Highway 10 bypassing Vinh Bao, involving Vinh Bao, Vinh Hai, Vinh Hoa, Vinh Thuan, and Vinh Thinh communes; Another road project connecting National Highway 5 and National Highway 10 passing through Kien An, involving Kien An, Phu Lien, and Kien Thuy wards; The Ninh Binh – Hai Phong Expressway (CT.08) project passing through Hai Phong and 9 kilometers in Thai Binh Province (now Hung Yen Province), from the Hanoi – Hai Phong Expressway to the coastal road interchange, involving Kien Minh, Kien Hai communes, and Duong Kinh and Nam Do Son wards.

Regarding obstacles related to the construction of resettlement areas for site clearance, Mr. Le Trung Kien, Vice Chairman of the city People’s Committee, emphasized that the development of resettlement areas must always precede project implementation and that living conditions must be equal to or better than previous residences. When implementing resettlement projects, localities must closely follow the city’s socio-economic planning to propose resettlement areas of appropriate scale that meet long-term development needs. Local authorities are also urged to promptly review project information in their areas to prepare for land inventory, determine land origins, and strengthen communication efforts to gain early public consensus.

Minh Khoi

Minh Khỏi