Seven years overdue, a trillion-dong project in Can Tho still cannot be built

On January 15, Can Tho City People's Committee reported on the implementation of the City People's Council's resolutions on Tay Do Cultural Center.

The planning location is in Hung Phu ward (Cai Rang district), the North and West borders Can Tho river, the East borders Quang Trung street (section from Can Tho river to IC3 intersection), the South borders Vo Nguyen Giap street (section from Can Tho river to IC3 intersection). Photo: Ta Quang

Accordingly, on April 17, 2004, the People's Council of Can Tho City issued Resolution No. 15 on the investment policy for the construction of the Southwest Cultural Center, Can Tho City. In 2005, the People's Council of Can Tho City issued Resolution No. 33 on renaming and adjusting the construction area of the Southwest Cultural Center to the Tay Do Cultural Center, with a total area of 172.81 hectares.

Can Tho City People's Committee has approved the detailed planning project at a scale of 1/500 for Tay Do Cultural Center in the Nam Can Tho urban area. Along with that, the city has implemented a compensation and resettlement support project covering an area of 43.37/116 hectares.

The resettlement area of Tay Do Cultural Center Phase 1 (44.76 ha) has approved the detailed construction plan at a scale of 1/500. The project has basically completed the technical infrastructure and social infrastructure. As for the resettlement area of Tay Do Cultural Center Phase 2 (12.05 ha), the City People's Committee has transferred the project to a new urban area and has found an investor.

According to the assessment of the People's Committee of Can Tho City, the implementation of the resolutions is slow and has only achieved very limited results. It has been nearly 20 years since Resolution 15 was issued but it has not yet been built, while the completion deadline is 2017.

Regarding the cause of the delay, Can Tho City People's Committee said that currently, the most difficult problem is that there is no more money to carry out site clearance.

The initial area of Tay Do Cultural Center is 116 hectares, expected to be reduced to 69 hectares. Phase 1 covers more than 43 hectares, with a total cost of site clearance of nearly 2,000 billion VND, of which compensation costs are more than 800 billion VND, and infrastructure costs (electricity, water, roads, telecommunications, etc.) are about 1,000 billion VND.

At the same time, the cost of phase 2 is also about 2,000 billion VND. Thus, to have the land and infrastructure of 69 hectares, it will take about 4,000 billion VND, not including construction.

Mr. Pham Van Hieu - Standing Deputy Secretary of the City Party Committee, Chairman of the People's Council of Can Tho City - commented that these two resolutions should be abolished because they are outdated. Regarding the specific content, it is proposed to review the legality of the process of changing the policy on Tay Do Cultural Center from 2004 to present, review the remaining projects and their corresponding areas.

In addition, Mr. Hieu noted that for any project to be implemented, the investment policy must continue to be proposed. If the project uses the budget, it must be calculated from which source. If it calls for socialization, it must be reviewed and calculated specifically.

Regarding the new draft resolution, Mr. Hieu said that in addition to abolishing the two resolutions mentioned above, the content should only stipulate that projects that have been implemented will continue. Along with that, Mr. Hieu also suggested some contents so that the new resolution will not encounter obstacles in the process of implementing the projects.

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