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Landslide covering the road and toll station’s infrastructure |
According to reports, in the early morning of July 1, a serious landslide hit Ta Phin commune in Lao Cai Province. Earth and rocks slid from the hillside, burying the toll station and operation building on the BOT route connecting the Noi Bai – Lao Cai Expressway to Sa Pa.
The earth and rocks continued to flow down and completely covered part of National Highway 4D (the old route), cutting off the only major road connecting Lao Cai city center with Sa Pa town.
Immediately after receiving reports of the incident, Viettel ePass, the unit operating the electronic toll collection (ETC) system on the BOT Lao Cai - Sa Pa route, urgently deployed a rapid response team to the scene. The team coordinated with the BOT project owner, the Lao Cai Provincial People’s Committee, and relevant authorities to promptly manage the situation, minimize damage, and ensure the safety of personnel, property, and equipment at the toll station.
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Viettel ePass Deputy General Director Dang Tran Chien and the technical team working on-site |
Prior to the landslide, as soon as early warning signs were detected, the Viettel ePass Board of Directors promptly ordered all staff to evacuate from the danger zone. This rapid decision proved to be crucial, as over 2,500 cubic meters of soil and rocks collapsed later that morning, sweeping away two entire toll booths.
Despite prolonged heavy rains and earth covering the road and toll station, ePass’s technical team remained at the site, working side by side with the BOT management unit to safeguard equipment, dismantle ETC components, and ensure safe storage of the automatic toll collection system, contributing to minimizing losses for the investor.
General Director of the Lao Cai - Sa Pa BOT Investment JSC Tran Cao Son praised Viettel ePass’s swift and responsible response. “ePass’s pro-active approach in this emergency helped avoid significant risks to both people and property, while offering timely recovery solutions. Viettel ePass is more than just a solution provider, they are a reliable partner,” Son emphasized.
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Post-landslide recovery efforts underway |
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The Lao Cai – Sa Pa BOT toll station prior to the landslide incident |
All ETC equipment has been safely dismantled and relocated. Affected components have been isolated and managed, while traffic safety measures are continuously maintained with the support of local forces. Restoration of toll station operations will resume after geological reassessment of the area by the authorities.
At present, vehicles can travel via the old route from the Xuan Giao interchange (on the Noi Bai – Lao Cai Expressway) toward Sa Pa.
Translated by Trung Thanh