Sun Group proposes to build a light rail line from Saigon to Tay Ninh, nearly 100km long.

Sun Group has just sent to the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee its comments on the Project to adjust the general planning of Ho Chi Minh City to 2040, with a vision to 2060. Accordingly, Sun Group proposed that Ho Chi Minh City add to the planning an 8-10 lane wide boulevard running along the Saigon River, connecting to Binh Duong and Tay Ninh. The focal point is the light rail line connecting directly to Tay Ninh, making trade between Ho Chi Minh City and Tay Ninh and the provinces along the Saigon River increasingly convenient. The light rail line (LRT) will run along the Saigon River route, connecting directly to Tay Ninh with a length of nearly 100km, creating a continuous tourism development corridor, promoting the economic and social development of the entire Southeast region to match its potential.

The Saigon River corridor should be the center of upcoming planning. Photo: Shutterstock

Opening new development space for Ho Chi Minh City - Tay Ninh According to the Project to adjust the General Planning of Ho Chi Minh City to 2040 with a vision to 2060, Ho Chi Minh City will have a 3-4 lane traffic route along the Saigon River, with a total length of 78.2km.

However, to anticipate future development potential, Sun Group Corporation proposes the need to develop a synchronous transport network, with 8-10 lane boulevards, connecting Saigon with Binh Duong and Tay Ninh, following the Saigon River, creating extensive connections with the Southeast provinces. Specifically, the route to Tay Ninh follows Provincial Road 6 (belonging to Ho Chi Minh City) towards Tay Ninh and then connects to Provincial Road 789 (belonging to Tay Ninh province). This is National Highway 22C according to the orientation of developing the Southeast region's transport network in the 2021-2030 period, with a vision to 2050.

In particular, the light rail line (LRT) running along the Saigon River will not only stop at Cu Chi district as planned in the planning, but will extend the entire route to Tay Ninh, nearly 100km long. Thus, the light rail line (LRT) will add a new type of transport (along with waterways and roads), completing the economic and tourism development corridor of the Southeast region, expanding trade activities between Saigon and Binh Duong and Tay Ninh. This will help reduce traffic pressure on existing roads, reduce traffic jams, and add more options for people and tourists. When put into operation, the new light rail line will connect Saigon with attractive destinations in Tay Ninh such as Ba Den Mountain, promoting the development of Tay Ninh tourism.

Ba Den Mountain (Tay Ninh) seen from Dau Tieng Lake. Photo: Le Nhat Hung Phat

As an electric means of transport, the light rail (LRT) is known as a “green” means of transport, because it does not emit carbon emissions into the environment. This is an express means of transport, capable of promoting and connecting with other road vehicles, convenient for travel. Mr. Hoang Anh Tu - Project Director of BCG Vietnam Group affirmed: “Investing in a 4-10 lane boulevard, including a mixture of roads and urban railways connecting from Ho Chi Minh City through Cu Chi to Ba Den Mountain, Tay Ninh is necessary, keeping up with the trend of developing metropolises in the world . From there, it is possible to open up a direction for tourism, urban and commercial development with the highlight being rivers, eliminating bottlenecks, promoting the potential of Tay Ninh and connecting better with Ho Chi Minh City”. “Trump card” to help Ho Chi Minh City maintain its leading position in the Southeast region’s economy According to Architect Tran Ngoc Chinh, former Deputy Minister of Construction - Chairman of the Vietnam Urban Planning and Development Association, the development of a high-class tourism infrastructure axis, modern transport infrastructure including waterways, roads, and parallel railways connecting Ho Chi Minh City - Cu Chi - Ba Den Mountain - Tay Ninh in the future planning project of Ho Chi Minh City will create a vibrant “on the wharf, under the boat” space for the Saigon River corridor. “If this economic axis is implemented, it will both solve the problems of traffic, logistics and population organization, form an inter-regional tourism ecosystem chain, creating conditions for Tay Ninh to develop. This development axis also passes through Ba Den Mountain - the roof of the Southeast region. Therefore, this axis is not only an international economic chain link axis, but also needs to be the “backbone” axis of tourism for Ho Chi Minh City”.

A light rail line (DRT) in Taiwan. Photo: Shutterstock

In addition to the proposal to invest in new transport infrastructure, Sun Group also contributed ideas on the development planning of areas with rich cultural, tourism and urban potential in Saigon such as: Rach Chiec Sports Complex, Cultural and Historical Park of Vietnamese Ethnic Groups (Thu Duc City), Cu Chi Safari, ... and urban areas with the Saigon River as the center such as: Thanh Da Urban Area (Binh Quoi, Binh Thanh District), Truong Tho Urban Area (Thu Duc City), Urban Areas along the Saigon River (Cu Chi District, Hoc Mon District) according to each subdivision. Sun Group proposed that Ho Chi Minh City consider and add comments to the general planning. Sun Group's proposals are expected to contribute to promoting the development of Ho Chi Minh City, awakening the vitality of the Saigon River, activating tourism potential, establishing the position of a leading economic - social locomotive for Ho Chi Minh City in relation to the Southeast Region. It is expected that when implemented, new ideas will create new momentum for comprehensive development of Ho Chi Minh City. Source: https://vov.vn/doanh-nghiep/doanh-nghiep-24h/sun-group-de-xuat-xay-tuyen-duong-sat-nhe-tu-sai-gon-den-tay-ninh-dai-gan-100km-post1129060.vov