HCM City: Progress in Integration

 

In addition to economic, cultural and educational development, the traffic system has seen notable development since 1996.

 

The transport infrastructure system in HCM City has been further constructed, expanded and modernised to meet local travel demand, not only for the city but also for the entire southern economic zone in the progress of development and integration.

 

In addition to expanding and upgrading old roads, the city has planned and built a series of new roads. In particular, 12-lane Pham Van Dong Avenue, which opened to traffic in 2013, is considered the most beautiful road in Ho Chi Minh City. The road, which cost US$340 million for construction, connects Tan Son Nhat Airport with National Road 1A and National Road 1K to open up a new traffic direction for Tan Binh, Go Vap, Binh Thanh and Thu Duc districts and Binh Duong and Dong Nai provinces.

 

While clearing slum sites, many modern roads have been constructed along canals to shorten the distance from district to district. The East-West Highway, which cost VND10 trillion for construction, runs along Ben Nghe - Tau Hu Canal and links the East and West ends of the city. It opened to traffic in 2009.

 

Costing VND2 trillion of investment capital, Thu Thiem Tunnel is the most important item on the East-West Highway. Crossing the Saigon River, the most modern tunnel in Southeast Asia is 1.49 kilometres long, 33 metres wide and 9 metres high with six lanes, three for each direction, for both automobiles and motorcycles. It also has two emergency exit lanes. The speed limit is 60 kilometres an hour.

 

Nguyen Van Linh Boulevard is one of the first large-scale, modern boulevards built in HCM City. The 18-km long road starts from Huynh Tan Phat Street in District 7 and ends with National Road 1A. The 10-lane thoroughfare, which cost US$100 million of investment capital, crosses 10 bridges.

 

This artery is very important to the economic development of the southern part of HCM City as it interlinks Tan Thuan Export Processing Zone, Phu My Hung Township, Hiep Phuoc Power Plant, Hiep Phuoc Industrial Park, Hiep Phuoc Port, Hiep Phuoc Urban Area and Phu My Bridge, among other key projects.

 

Nhieu Loc - Thi Nghe Canal, formerly known as the dirtiest canal in Saigon with slums along the banks, is now very spacious after Hoang Sa and Truong Sa roads along the canal were opened to traffic.

 

The public transport system began to revive in 2002 when eight bus routes with 50 buses were put into service. Currently, the city has more than 3,000 buses with nearly 200 routes serving hundreds of millions of passengers each year.

 

Waterway transportation is now powered by bigger, more modern and more secure ferries.

 

However, the transport system poses a lot of shortcomings and fails to meet with the potential and development status of the city. Traffic congestion and flooding are still terrible experiences for people. Besides, the bus system has not met expectations and demands, and tends to reduce in size. The construction progress of metro lines is slow.

 

HCM City needs to have greater ambitions and strive to regain its position as a leading financial, science and technological centre in the Southeast Asian region, as it used to be.

 

At a recent meeting on patriotic emulation campaign held by the HCM City People’s Committee, Politburo Member and HCM City Party Secretary Dinh La Thang said that, with a conscious and serious approach, the city must make greater efforts to avoid being left behind.

 

He said, in the game of global integration, opportunities are equal to all countries. What concerns us is how to take advantage of those opportunities and turn them into active support for national growth. That depends largely on commitments of each country, but the most important factor is to mobilise all internal resources and national unity.

 

“In the past, HCM City, formerly known as Saigon, is proud to be the centre of the region and dubbed the Pearl of the Far East. It is not just the title and name here, but it is the self-respect and national effort. Its regression compared to other counterparts in the region has objective and subjective reasons and that cannot be an excuse for us to blame each other. No matter what caused this, it makes all of us all feel regretful for an unacceptably bitter truth,” he stressed.

 

With a desire to escape from the status quo of backwardness, continue to be a driving force for national strategic objectives, continue to be the trust and spiritual backing to the cause of defending territorial integrity and sacred territorial waters of the country, the people of the city people do not accept that fact as a fate, said Mr Thang.

 

“We also need to have bigger desires and regain its old position as a leading financial, scientific and technological centre in the Southeast Asian region. With the inherent dynamism and resilience of every citizen who dares to accept challenges and upholds the spirit of solidarity, sharing and caring, and with the support of judicious ancestors, we will definitely do it,” Mr Thang added.

 

Referring to key tasks in the near future, he underlined the importance of introducing well-prepared actions for every specific objective.

 

“We act together to turn HCM City into a liveable place for everybody. It is worth of living because of good living quality, safety, civilisation, easy settlement and employment. People have more opportunities for success,” Mr Thang stressed.