The Ministry of Transport (MoT) had decided to stop collecting tolls from build-operate-transfer (BOT) roads that had quickly fallen into disrepair after opening, reported online newspaper vietnamplus.vn.- VNA/VNS Photo HÀ NỘI – The Ministry of Transport (MoT) had decided to stop collecting tolls from build-operate-transfer (BOT) roads that had quickly fallen into disrepair after opening, reported online newspaper vietnamplus.vn. The action taken by transport minister Nguyễn Văn Thể has been applauded by experts and the drivers whose money is going straight into the pockets of BOT investors. Several BOT highways have raised public concern after experiencing problems even in their trial periods. For example, a section of the Đà Nẵng-Quảng Ngãi Expressway funded by Japan International Co-operation Agency JICA was opened to traffic in August last year, but after 14 months of operation, cracks and holes have appeared on the road surface. The damage has caused risks for vehicles traveling at high speeds on the expressway. The minister has asked the Việt Nam Expressway Corporation (VEC) – the investor – to stop collecting tolls on the road until the damage is repaired. Toll collections would resume 16 days after repair work was completed, reported the paper. A BOT project to upgrade and widen a section of road on the National Highway in Bình Định Province has also been hit with the same sanctions. The 28.6km road was completed in May 2016 but local people and authorities have already lodged complaints about the project quality. The investor was forced to halt toll… [Read full story]
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