The provincial Party Committee and People’s Committee have issued strong directives for the project owner, local authorities, and related agencies to focus on resolving bottlenecks in land compensation and clearance in order to accelerate construction and ensure the project is completed on schedule. Relevant agencies and units are urgently coordinating to develop specific solutions for each outstanding case.

The project must be completed by 2025. However, packages No.4, 5, and 6 and the resettlement area in Điện Biên Phủ city, as well as packages No.7 and 8 in Điện Biên district, are still facing major obstacles in site clearance, preventing contractors from proceeding with construction as planned.

Since the beginning of the year, the Standing Board of the provincial Party Committee and the provincial leadership have held multiple meetings to review progress and direct Điện Biên Phủ city and Điện Biên district to proactively resolve issues and accelerate land clearance and project implementation. Recently, Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Lê Thành Đô directly inspected the site, provided specific directives, and assigned clear responsibilities to each locality and involved unit to definitively resolve obstacles in each bidding package.

For the difficulties in packages No.7 and 8, the provincial People’s Committee assigned Điện Biên district to take the lead in reviewing, summarizing, and proposing specific solutions for provincial review and approval. In cases where landowners are intentionally non-compliant despite outreach, persuasion, and having approved compensation funds, the district will coordinate with relevant agencies to complete documentation and carry out enforcement measures in accordance with the law to ensure project progress and effectiveness. The province’s Traffic Project Management Board was instructed to reassess overall project progress and develop detailed schedules to ensure completion before June 30.

Following provincial directives, the Điện Biên district People’s Committee has quickly reviewed and proposed appropriate solutions for each case. Thanks to decisive action, land clearance in the district has seen significant improvement. As of May 1, compensation and clearance plans have been approved for 1,183 out of 1,269 households, covering 39.26ha out of 39.6ha (achieving 99.16%).

However, several unresolved issues remain. Specifically, in Thanh Chăn and Noong Luống communes, some eligible households have not yet handed over land. In the branch line No.1, Thanh Hưng commune, one household has not agreed to transfer land, even though it was previously cleared during the Hồng Khếnh Reservoir canal project in 2001. Additionally, a few households have refused compensation despite approved decisions.

Trần Xuân Hoàn, Deputy Director of the Điện Biên district’s Land Management Center, explained that some households eligible for resettlement have withheld land handover because the resettlement site in Điện Biên Phủ city is not yet completed. The district has encouraged these households to accept resettlement within the district, where sites are available, but they insist on being resettled within the city.

For the household involved in the Hồng Khếnh Reservoir canal project, residents do not acknowledge receiving compensation from the past project. The Thanh Hưng commune authorities are working to verify the land origin, though missing records from the 2001-2004 project make verification difficult. The district and commune are continuing to collaborate with relevant agencies to resolve the issue.

Regarding the four households in Co Mỵ hamlet (Thanh Chăn commune) who refuse the approved compensation, the Land Management Center will coordinate with local authorities for further outreach. If non-cooperation continues, enforcement procedures will be prepared in accordance with the law.

Land clearance in Điện Biên Phủ city presents more challenges. So far, compensation has been approved for all 312 affected households and 186 graves. Of the 31.8ha required, 26.81ha has been handed over, reaching 84.81%. Remaining 4.68ha involves residents who have not yet accepted compensation or handed over land. Specifically, Package No.4 has 64.45% clearance; Package No.3, 69.09%; Packages No.5 and 6 have reached 97%. For the resettlement site, approval has been granted for 20 out of 30 households and one organization, covering 2.989ha out of 3.2ha (93.41%). However, only 1.71ha is currently usable for construction as 1.28ha is still pending compensation acceptance.

Currently, the city is finalizing plans for households with buildings and structures on the land, adjusting previously approved plans, and continuing to persuade residents to accept compensation and hand over land. For those deliberately refusing, despite efforts, the city is preparing legal documents for enforcement.

Meanwhile, the province’s Traffic Project Management Board is actively coordinating with local authorities to resolve land clearance issues. Contractors are also being directed to mobilize maximum resources to begin work on sections where land has been cleared, striving to meet the project’s scheduled completion.