A dusty, risky highway

TUOI TRE

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Dust, rocks, sand and poor warning systems plague a section of the National Highway No 51 which is under an expansion project.

Tuoi Tre observes some mayhem at an area leading towards Ba Ria Vung Tau from Dong Nai province where, for dozens of kilometers, dirt, sand, and rocks are tossed all over while warning signs and barriers are sloppily erected. 

Most passers-by have to shut their eyes and hold their breath when passing a section in Long Thanh district, Dong Nai province due to too much dust.

Streetside cafes here have remained closed in the past months.

According to the traffic monitoring station on Highway 51, there have been 42 accidents killing 45 people since the highway started being expanded in September 2009.

Many of the accidents stem from the project implementers not erecting barriers or warning signs as stipulated. 

Last week, police said they would seek charges against those responsible for the death of a student who died when her motorbike hit a concrete block there.

On January 17, Vu Thi Dung was carrying her 17-year-old daughter Pham Hoai Diem on a motorbike towards Dong Nai’s Bien Hoa City when the vehicle hit the concrete block mindlessly put in the middle of the highway in Long Thanh district’s An Phuoc commune.

Both were hurled from the vehicle.

Dung was only injured but Diem died on the spot when a car from ran over her from behind.

Local police said two construction officials from Licogi 9 and Licogi 9-2 based in Bien Hoa are to blame.

According to police, the highway was under an expansion project and the project developer hired Licogi 9 to spray asphalt there.

Licogi 9 instead commissioned its subsidiary Licogi 9-2 to carry out the job.

Licogi 9-2 then irresponsibly erected a concrete block at the project site but did not install any warning signs nearby.