CT.03 will run 179.55 km through 18 communes and wards in Son La province. The route will begin at its intersection with National Highway 43 in Van Son ward, connecting Hoa Binh with Moc Chau, and end at the border with Dien Bien province, providing a connection to the Tay Trang Border Gate.

Under the current plan, the expressway will run nearly 15.15 km through Tan Yen commune, where about 50 households are expected to be affected and relocated to designated resettlement areas.

A 10.27-km section will pass through Thao Nguyen ward, affecting an estimated 140 households, all of whom are expected to require relocation to concentrated resettlement areas.

The route will also run 2.56 km through Van Son ward, affecting an estimated 80 households and five organisations. The 80 affected households are expected to be relocated to designated resettlement areas.  

In Doan Ket commune, the expressway will cover 2.03 km and is expected to affect one household.

Son La province is currently focusing on preparations for project implementation, including reviewing the proposed route alignment, site clearance and resettlement plans, waste disposal sites and sources of construction materials.

The provincial Transport Infrastructure Investment and Construction Project Management Board has provided local authorities with route alignment documents, preliminary project boundaries and digital mapping data to support coordination in managing existing land use, reviewing land and planning information, and preparing for site clearance and resettlement.

Concluding the working session, Hung called on the Party Committees of the four communes and wards to regard site clearance for the CT.03 project as a key political priority and an opportunity to promote local socio-economic development.

He instructed the local authorities to urgently establish commune- and ward-level steering committees and compensation, site clearance and resettlement councils for the project, adopt working regulations, assign responsibilities to members, and develop and implement their 2026 work plans.

Local authorities were also ordered to review and closely manage existing land use, assets and crops on affected land, as well as construction activities within the project area, resettlement sites and waste disposal areas. They must prevent encroachment, unauthorised construction, tree planting and illegal land use.

Hung also called for stronger public communication and outreach to achieve broad support among residents for the implementation of State policies on land recovery, compensation, assistance and resettlement in connection with the project./.