Although Hanoi is implementing social distancing across the city to curb the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic, hundreds of engineers and workers are speeding up the progress of major traffic projects, which are executed under the principles of “three on-site” (on-site working, on-site eating, on-site sleeping) and “one route, two destinations” (the only route from the workplace to dorms).

Construction of Le Van Luong underpass is being urgently accelerated. Photos: Ngoc Hai

The projects include Vinh Tuy Bridge phase 2, Le Van Luong underpass, Ring Road 2 viaduct. The Hanoi People's Committee has required investors and contractors of the projects to ensure labor safety and measures to prevent the Covid-19 pandemic.

To fulfill the requirement, the investor of the above-mentioned three projects - the Hanoi Traffic Transport Construction Investment Project Management Board - has urged the contractors to fence off the construction site for best supervision.

Trucks carrying construction materials must have travel approval documents from the Hanoi Department of Transport, the management board noted.

In an interview with The Hanoi Times, Tran Van Giau, the leader of the Ring Road 2 project, said that workers at the construction site are complying with the "three on-site principles" and are taken care of by a medical staff who is on duty all day.

Vinh Tuy Bridge project phase 2 is being urgently completed.

“There are nearly 500 workers at the construction site. We open five gates and there is a backup isolation house at each gate. Workers suspected of carrying coronavirus will be put under quarantine immediately. We have proposed to vaccinate all workers to prevent Covid-19 disease," Giau added.

A representative of the Hanoi Traffic Transport Construction Investment Project Management Board said that workers are working, having meals, and sleeping on-site. Besides protective gear, they are given face masks and hand sanitizers. In addition, the construction site is periodically disinfected.

The management board has also strictly supervised personnel entering and exiting the site and minimized the number of non-duty people. The logistics team can only go in/out twice a day to provide necessities and food under the “one route, two destinations” principle.

“We always observe Covid-19 prevention rules to ensure construction progress. Although this adds an additional burden to our work, we are committed to complying with it," Pham Van Quyen, a worker at the construction site of Vinh Tuy Bridge phase 2, told The Hanoi Times.