On the morning of December 19, 2025, in Dong Thap Province, the Ministry of Construction coordinated with the investor consortium to hold the groundbreaking ceremony for the HCMC – Trung Luong – My Thuan Expressway expansion under the public–private partnership (PPP) model. This is a particularly important transport infrastructure project, helping remove connectivity bottlenecks and create new development momentum for the entire Mekong Delta.

Overview of the ceremony

The ceremony was attended by Deputy Minister of Construction Bui Xuan Dung; Chairman of Dong Thap Provincial People’s Committee Pham Thanh Ngai; Chairman of Tay Ninh Provincial People’s Committee Le Van Han; representatives of Ho Chi Minh City, Tay Ninh and Dong Thap; the investor consortium, contractors, and local residents in the project area.

The largest transport BOT project without state capital

The HCMC – Trung Luong – My Thuan Expressway expansion has a total investment of VND 36,172 billion, with DEOCA Group serving as the representative of the investor consortium.

This is the largest transport BOT project in Vietnam to date fully financed by private capital, clearly demonstrating the effectiveness of the PPP++ model pioneered, consistently pursued and successfully implemented by DEOCA Group.

The project stretches over 96 km across Ho Chi Minh City, Tay Ninh Province and Dong Thap Province. The HCMC – Trung Luong section will be expanded to eight lanes with a design speed of 120 km/h, while the Trung Luong – My Thuan section and the An Thai Trung interchange to the north approach of My Thuan 2 Bridge will be completed to six lanes with a design speed of 100 km/h.

In addition to road widening, the project will synchronously invest in intelligent transport systems (ITS), rest areas and modern toll stations, targeting international expressway standards. The entire route is expected to be completed and put into operation in 2028.

At the ceremony, Deputy Minister Bui Xuan Dung stated that the HCMC – Trung Luong – My Thuan Expressway is a vital arterial route, playing a particularly important role for the Southern Key Economic Region and the Mekong Delta.

Deputy Minister of Construction Bui Xuan Dung delivered a speech at the ceremony

The full expansion of the expressway will enhance traffic capacity, reduce congestion, gradually complete the regional transport network, meet growing transport demand, improve competitiveness, and create momentum for socio-economic development, while also ensuring national defense and security.

To ensure on-schedule implementation with required quality, safety and investment efficiency, the Deputy Minister called on Ho Chi Minh City and the provinces of Tay Ninh and Dong Thap to accelerate site clearance and avoid new bottlenecks affecting overall progress. He also urged local authorities to promptly coordinate procedures related to material mines and disposal sites, ensure security and order, and organize safe and smooth traffic throughout construction.

At the same time, he requested the Vietnam Road Administration and relevant agencies to strengthen inspection and supervision, promptly guide or handle arising difficulties, and strive to complete the project on schedule, ensuring quality, efficiency, safety and occupational hygiene in accordance with regulations.

Towards a modern, sustainable expressway

At the ceremony, Mr. Ho Minh Hoang, Chairman of the Board of Directors of DEOCA Group and representative of the investor consortium, emphasized that expanding the HCMC – Trung Luong – My Thuan Expressway is an urgent requirement to remove infrastructure bottlenecks amid rapidly growing transport, logistics and travel demand in the Mekong Delta.

Recalling the Trung Luong – My Thuan Expressway completed after three years and now serving more than 25,000 vehicles per day, he stressed that each additional kilometer is not merely another lane, but a gateway to growth that enhances connectivity, reduces logistics costs, and creates new development space for the entire region.

Mr. Ho Minh Hoang delivered a speech at the ceremony

He noted that construction will be carried out while maintaining traffic, placing high demands on safety and traffic management. DEOCA Group will apply a phased construction approach with full separation by barriers, opening completed sections to traffic before continuing with remaining works, ensuring progress while minimizing impacts on local communities.

According to Mr. Ho Minh Hoang, alongside mobilizing resources for the project, DEOCA Group is proactively enhancing technological capacity, cooperating with international partners to apply advanced solutions such as BIM-based project management, while promoting digital project management and workforce training in collaboration with universities and colleges.

The project will also publicly disclose implementation plans and responsibilities of all stakeholders, enabling transparent supervision through a “countdown clock,” under the principle: “To open the road on the ground, responsibilities must be cleared first”.

The delegates performed the groundbreaking ceremony

Representatives of international partners affirmed their readiness to participate in construction, provide skilled personnel and equipment, and support DEOCA in implementing major expressway, railway and metro projects in Vietnam.

Upon completion, the expanded HCMC – Trung Luong – My Thuan Expressway is expected to become a modern, integrated transport corridor, strengthening connectivity between Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong Delta, and driving fast, sustainable socio-economic development for the region in the new phase.

 By Thien Nam