Story of removing wall, giving up billions of land to expand road in Ha Long

With their love and responsibility for the residential area, thousands of households in Ha Long City (Quang Ninh) donated land and constructions worth nearly 300 billion VND to build traffic infrastructure and urban construction.

Excited to have donated land for road construction

Standing on the newly expanded road, more than 8m wide, about 1km long, through group 10, zone 4, Ha Tu ward, Ha Long city, Mr. Pham Duc Nhan, a resident of group 10, said: Before, this road was very small and narrow. Especially in the rainy season, the Sec Lo stream often rose, causing local isolation.

When the government invested in a bridge across the stream, travel became more convenient. However, the old road was only 3m wide, while there were many cars in the residential area, so during rush hour there was a long traffic jam.

A road in Hung Thang ward, Ha Long city was upgraded and expanded thanks to the people's movement of donating land for road construction.

More than a year ago, the local government held a meeting with the neighborhood to discuss the plan to widen the road to more than 8 meters. However, if the budget for compensation and site clearance had to be spent, it would cost tens of billions of dong, so it was not known when it would be possible. The proposed solution was to mobilize people to donate land to widen the road.

Hearing the government's announcement of land donation for road construction, many people were concerned. Because in this area, land value is up to 20-25 million VND/m2.

Mr. Nhan himself could not help but worry because if the road was widened like that, it would take away nearly 50 square meters of his family's land, which would cost nearly 1 billion VND.

Mr. Pham Duc Nhan pointed to the land area worth nearly 1 billion VND that his family donated to widen the road in the residential area.

Then, one late afternoon, while standing at the gate of his house watching the cars slowly moving, Mr. Nhan immediately thought, "My land is large, even if I donate a few dozen meters, I will still be comfortable living there. When the road is widened, traffic will be more convenient, and the land value will probably increase."

Mr. Nhan then went home to discuss the land donation with his family and immediately received the consensus of all members.

"At first, when I called to say my family would donate land, the ward officials thought I was joking. To prove it, I took the initiative to demolish the fence and called the officials to measure it, taking as much as needed," Mr. Nhan recalled.

And then, dozens of households in the neighborhood as well as Mr. Nhan's family, some donated a few dozen square meters, some donated a few square meters to widen the road.

"Now looking at the newly opened road and the traffic running smoothly, we see that our decision was completely correct," Mr. Nhan boasted.

Mr. Nguyen Quang Sang stands on the newly opened road, in which his family donated over 40 square meters.

Next to Mr. Nhan's family, Mr. Nguyen Van Thanh's family also donated several dozen square meters of residential land.

When the reporter of Giao thong Newspaper arrived at the house, Mr. Thanh had just brought a paralyzed old woman home from the hospital. Mr. Thanh said: If the land had not been donated for the road, the family would have had to go all the way to Highway 18 to push the old woman's wheelchair home. Because this road is very small, often congested, and cars have difficulty getting through during rush hour.

"If everyone does a little for the common good, the roads and infrastructure will improve. And all those advantages will be enjoyed by my family and the people in the residential area. Donating land for hundreds of millions of dong is worth it," Mr. Thanh shared.

Mr. Nguyen Van Phuc, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Ha Tu Ward, Ha Long City, said: When starting to expand the road in Zone 4 and Zone 2, the local government could not help but wonder where to get land to build the road.

However, in a very short time, all households agreed, so we have wide roads like today...

In Ha Tu ward, there is also a road where people donated hundreds of square meters of land to upgrade and expand. That is the road in lane 11 of group 11, area 2 connecting to Vu Van Hieu street.

Mr. Nguyen Quang Sang's household at the entrance to Group 11 is a typical example. Mr. Sang said that the road through his family's alley to a residential area with about 300 households living there. Previously, the planned road was only about 3m wide, so when a car entered, oncoming vehicles had to back up very far to have room to avoid it.

"When the government proposed, my family immediately donated over 40 square meters of residential land to widen the road. My nephew's family living next door also donated nearly 32 square meters. If we calculate the price here, it would be over 30 million VND/square meter, but we are always ready for the community. Now the road is widened to 7.5 meters, traffic is very convenient," said Mr. Sang.

Promoting the power of people's hearts

As the center of Quang Ninh province, for many years, Ha Long city has had a very bustling urban appearance. The main roads have been invested in and expanded to become more and more spacious and airy.

However, before 2005, the planning of some roads in residential areas and inter-zones in Ha Long City was very narrow. Meanwhile, people's lives developed, many households could afford to buy cars. Therefore, during rush hour, many roads in residential areas were often congested.

Households in Cao Thang ward, Ha Long city removed walls and donated land to build roads.

Ms. Phan Thi Hai Huong, Head of the Propaganda Department of the Ha Long City Party Committee, said: There is a great need to upgrade and expand roads and urban beautification in the area. However, in recent years, land in Ha Long City has been priced at tens of millions of VND/m2, even hundreds of millions of VND/m2. If compensation and site clearance are required to build roads, the local budget cannot afford it.

On December 31, 2020, the Standing Committee of the Ha Long City Party Committee issued Resolution No. 21 on investing, renovating and upgrading infrastructure of residential areas and urban areas formed before 2005. After that, the Party Committees and authorities of Ha Long City quickly implemented solutions to propagate and mobilize people to donate land for road construction.

In particular, the Party Committees at all levels have promoted the pioneering and exemplary spirit of cadres and Party members in donating land and mobilizing relatives to do the same. Thereby, a widespread movement has been created, creating favorable conditions for completing traffic infrastructure in residential areas in Ha Long City.

After 4 years of implementing Resolution No. 21 of the Standing Committee of Ha Long City Party Committee, dozens of traffic routes in residential areas have been expanded thanks to the spirit of land donation for road construction by the people.

After 4 years of implementing Resolution No. 21, 3,450 households in Ha Long City voluntarily donated 41,518m2 of land with a total value of land and equivalent works of over 280 billion VND to serve investment, renovation and upgrading of infrastructure, mainly transportation.

To date, the city has 249 approved investment projects with a total investment of over 1,330 billion VND. Of these, 140 projects use the city budget; 63 projects use the ward budget and mobilize social capital; 46 projects have approved investment policies.

Currently, 153 projects have been completed and put into use, and 50 projects are being actively constructed and completed.

"Building on the results achieved, the city will continue to implement many more practical projects and works to improve people's lives," Ms. Huong affirmed.

Source: https://www.baogiaothong.vn/chuyen-do-tuong-nhuong-dat-tien-ty-de-mo-rong-duong-o-ha-long-192241215193725709.htm