HCM CITY — The trapping of a taxi when part of Le Van Sy Street in HCM City's District 3 collapsed has reignited questions about contractor responsibility for safety.
Le Van Sy is part of a project to improve environment and sanitation in the Nhieu Loc-Thi Nghe valley.
The project's managers explained that the contractor, a joint venture between Dreco and Cienco 5, had temporarily resurfaced the road after installing drainage.
But heavy rain on Monday caused the road to give way under the taxi.
A truck was also trapped the same day when part of Vo Van Van Street, Binh Chanh District, subsided after a contractor had supposedly "restored" it.
Many construction projects in HCM City remain without barricades to ensure traffic safety although municipal officers have regularly fined offenders.
Project director Phan Chau Thuan said the contractor must take responsibility for the accident and compensate the taxi owner.
The project's managers would also require its consultant to increase supervision at its construction sites.
Municipal transport department deputy director Le Toan said "traps" were the responsibility of the contractor but emphasised the hole on Le Van Sy Street had been repaired the day the accident happened.
The department would direct its inspectors to increase their checks of construction sites and heavily punish contractors who ignored safety regulations, said Toan.
The punishments include fines of between VND20-30 million (US$1,020-1,530) for traffic accidents that result from the lack of safety measures during construction.
Offenders were also required to repair the damage as the result of any accidents and would risked having their construction licences revoked if they failed to meet the safety rules.
Vinasun owned the trapped taxi and its managing director Ta Long Hy estimated that repairs would cost VND50 million.
The contractor had agreed to pay the bill, he said.
Sai Gon Viet Nam Law Company lawyer Nguyen Minh Thuan said the victims could sue offending contractors for compensation. — VNS
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