Land clearance efforts are progressing rapidly along national highway 6, from Ba La to Xuan Mai, in late April. Launched in late 2022, the national highway 6 expansion project for the Ba La - Xuan Mai section has an investment exceeding 9,600 billion VND. It spans 21,7 km, with its width increasing from 14 meters to 50-60 meters, accommodating 4-6 lanes.

Near the Yen Nghia bus station, at the project's start, many solid three to four-story homes are being demolished. This location, a critical interchange between national highway 6 and ring road 4, necessitated rapid land clearance. Since early 2026, following government advocacy, many households have voluntarily dismantled their homes to hand over the land. Nguyen Gia Nghia from Doi Hai hamlet, Phu Nghia commune, proactively demolished his house before receiving official notification. "For many years, commuting to central Hanoi has been difficult due to the narrow, degraded road. Everyone hopes the project will finish soon to stabilize our lives," Nghia stated.

Along the route, residents are actively felling trees within the project's path for firewood. Some valuable ornamental trees are carefully uprooted for replanting elsewhere.

Khong Thi Dung, from Nghia Hao hamlet, Phu Nghia commune, is collecting bricks for house repairs. She explained that her home is within the traffic corridor, making it subject to clearance without compensation. "I hope the project finishes soon to lessen the impact on residents' lives. Currently, the road is dusty, requiring us to keep our doors closed all day. Construction materials are scattered, and it becomes muddy on rainy days," she said.

Beyond residential structures, several spiritual elements, such as the stone marker leading to Son Quyet Ha communal house historical relic in Phu Nghia commune, and a shrine in Tien Truong hamlet, Xuan Mai commune, have also been relocated to accommodate the project.

In Xuan Mai commune, at the project's end, land clearance is also progressing rapidly. By 24/4, over 500 households had voluntarily handed over land, totaling 24,9 hectares, representing 64,5% of the required area. However, after residents demolished their properties, construction has been slow or not started, causing significant difficulties for locals due to inaccessible homes and dust.

To address residents' welfare, Xuan Mai commune is urgently completing infrastructure for the resettlement area.

Land clearance is the project's biggest bottleneck. From 2022 to early 2026, construction had to be divided into multiple phases due to land acquisition issues, jeopardizing the project's 2027 completion target. As of 27/4, Phu Nghia commune had cleared 24,9 hectares out of a total 29,65 hectares. Nghia Hao and Khe Than, two hamlets in Phu Nghia commune, achieved 100% land clearance. Over the past month, hundreds of households have proactively demolished their homes and removed trees. However, many areas along national highway 6, from Ba La to Xuan Mai, still await clearance due to complexities in land origin verification, compensation, and resettlement. To accelerate progress, communes meet weekly with investors and the traffic board to identify and resolve bottlenecks.

National highway 6 is a radial artery connecting the capital with the Northwest region, traversing four provinces and cities: Hanoi, Hoa Binh, Son La, and Dien Bien, with a total length of 478 km. The section passing through Hanoi is narrow, only about 7 meters wide, with an uneven surface, and has been the site of many accidents. The current expansion focuses on the Ba La - Xuan Mai section. *Graphics: Hoang Khanh*

Gia Chinh