HCMC – The HCMC Department of Natural Resources and Environment has proposed that four Mekong Delta provinces provide over seven million cubic meters of sand for the inter-regional Beltway 3 project.

The department wrote to the municipal People’s Committee after reviewing a plan to supply for the beltway project, which will pass through HCMC and three neighboring provinces – Dong Nai, Binh Duong and Long An.

The project requires an estimated 15 million cubic meters of sand but would lack 7.2 million cubic meters for backfilling, the local media reported.

Through its survey, the department discovered Tien Giang and Vinh Long provinces could supply 3.6 million cubic meters of sand for the project, but it is yet to get the nod from the two provinces.

The rest is expected to be sourced from Dong Thap and Long An provinces, also in the Mekong Delta, but the two have refused to supply sand, citing the need of sand of their own infrastructure projects.

To ensure sufficent sand supply for the beltway project that will get off the ground in mid-2023, the HCMC Department of Natural Resources and Environment proposed the city government work with these four Mekong Delta provinces.

Besides, a working team in charge of the project’s building materials supply should coordinate with the relevant units to survey local operational and backup sand mines to prepare enough material for the project.

Phase one of the Beltway 3 project will cost over VND75.3 trillion, with a total length of more than 76 kilometers. It is slated for completion in 2026 and is expected to fuel socioeconomic growth in the southern key economic region.