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The Government has issued a resolution calling for new plans on traffic safety in Ha Noi and HCM City.
In the resolution, the Government assigned the Ministry of Transport to work with the Ministry of Construction and both cities’ people’s committees on traffic solutions to 2020.
Passenger bus stations and underground as well as multi-storied and above-ground car parking lots would also be part of the plan, under which national roads running through the two cities would be built or expanded, and expressways, beltways, railways, flyover bridges and underground tunnels would be constructed.
Traffic control equipment on heavily congested streets would also be upgraded. The Government’s resolution would require the Ministry of Construction and the two cities’ people’s committees to map out plans by next year on the moving of administrative agencies, universities, colleges, vocational training schools and large hospitals from the two cities’ central areas.
The plan must be approved by the Prime Minister, and detailed moving schedules will be drawn up by 2010. Both cities’ people’s committees must also work with the Ministry of Public Security to improve traffic control centres by co-ordinating with traffic police. Violators of regulations that curb roadside vendors would be strictly punished as well.
The Government told the two cities’ people’s committees to continue subsidies for passenger buses and to increase the number of lanes designated for buses.
In the fourth quarter of this year the two cities must adjust their bus routes, if needed, and launch new routes to ensure that all areas may be reached by bus. Detailed plans on curbing traffic jams must be submitted to the Prime Minister by October, according to the Government’s resolution.
Traffic problems
In 2009, for example, the city will see construction begin on a $340-million beltway running from Tan Son Nhat Airport through Binh Loi Bridge to Cat Lai.
Construction of projects for elevated trains, the first routes of subway networks and a monorail system will also kick off by 2010. Major transportation projects over the next three years also include two more bridges linking District 2 with District 4 and District 7.
After the merger of Ha Noi and Ha Tay Province, one of the new city’s urgent tasks will be to deal with traffic congestion, which has been predicted to exacerbate, as many administrative agencies will be relocated to Ha Dong City. Nguyen Trai Road, the only road connecting Ha Noi’s centre with Ha Dong City, which was often jammed before the merger, will have to accommodate a much heavier traffic flow.
The city plans to ban trucks and other large vehicles during rush hours as well as increase bus services on this road. According to a HCM City report released late last year, the city had around 3.5 million motorbikes, 2 million bicycles and 150,000 cars. In addition, 400,000 motorbikes and 60,000 cars would come into the city from other provinces every day.
The report revealed that in a single day in November and December, 2,300 new motorbikes and 200 new cars were registered in the city. "Transportation is now the biggest problem facing the city," said municipal Chairman Le Hoang Quan.
The new residency law has allowed 230,000 people from other provinces across the country to register as permanent residents in HCM City this year. These newcomers could bring the city’s population to 8.5 million next year. Quan said that the city would invest some $22 billion for medium – and long-term projects to develop transportation infrastructure.
This article first appeared on www.vietnamnews.vnanet.vn
Aug 5, 2008
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