A Ministry of Finance delegation, led by Mr. Bui Viet Hung, Deputy Director General of Infrastructure Development Department, recently held a working session with Dak Lak PPC to review 2026 public investment plan implementation for Phase 1 of Khanh Hoa - Buon Ma Thuot Expressway project.

Delegates attending the working session.

At the meeting, representatives of Component Project 3 investor reported that the 48-kilometre section had completed more than 98% of planned construction. Most major works have been substantially finished, with remaining items being expedited to ensure the project stays on schedule.

Cumulative capital allocated for Component Project 3 has reached 6.063701 trillion VND, while 78.29% of the assigned funding has been disbursed. Based on current construction progress as well as actual capital absorption capacity, Dak Lak PPC proposed that Ministry of Finance report to the Government and Prime Minister for consideration of a downward adjustment to part of the 2026 public investment allocation from the central budget assigned to the project.

Regarding Component Project 2, representatives of Railway Project Management Board, acting as investor, said the nearly 37-kilometre section has a total investment exceeding 10.436 trillion VND. Construction has reached around 75%, while cumulative disbursement stands at more than 68% of allocated capital. The project is being implemented under particularly challenging conditions, crossing rugged mountainous terrain that requires construction of four tunnels and 38 bridges. Land clearance also remains a significant obstacle, slowing construction progress while limiting capital disbursement. In light of limited capacity to utilise the remaining allocation, the investor proposed cutting approximately 1.046 trillion VND from the 2026 capital allocation.

Deputy Director General of the Infrastructure Development Department, Mr. Bui Viet Hung urged Dak Lak PPC and project investors to carefully weigh any proposal to reduce allocated funding. He noted that once central budget capital is returned in 2026, securing additional funding for the project in 2027 would be extremely difficult. He therefore called on relevant agencies to reassess actual funding requirements, retain sufficient capital for deployment of the Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) as well as other essential components, while recommending reductions only for funding that cannot realistically be disbursed.

Comrade Truong Cong Thai, Dak Lak PPC Vice Chairman, said the province would direct project investors to continue reviewing capital absorption capacity for each project, while intensifying efforts to remove bottlenecks, accelerate construction progress and improve disbursement. These measures are expected to ensure efficient use of public investment capital alongside keep the expressway project on schedule in line with Government directives.

Translated by HAI LOAN