Open the way, open more opportunities
Gia Lai, as well as the Central Highlands region, transport development has always been an area that planners have been concerned about for many years in inter-regional development. In the top 10 provinces with the largest area in Vietnam, the Central Highlands has up to
4 provinces: Gia Lai, Dak Lak, Lam Dong, Kon Tum. The potential of soil and climate in this land is undeniable. Other resources such as land, water, wind… are also advantages.
The road through Mang Yang Pass (Gia Lai) has been renovated and is no longer dangerous for vehicles.
However, the situation of connecting and attracting investment to create momentum and create incentives for each locality to develop more strongly is still just a dream. Transport infrastructure is one of the obstacles. This situation leads to weak logistics activities. Meanwhile, the Central Highlands is a center in the development triangle of Vietnam - Laos - Cambodia. Therefore, developing the transport system from local to inter-regional in the Central Highlands is a very important issue.
I still remember 20 years ago, in the early days when we were in the Central Highlands, starting our journalism career, the traffic situation in remote areas was terrifying. Every time we went on a business trip to the 5 communes east of the Ayun River, Mang Yang District (Gia Lai) during the rainy season, we were scared. That was when the motorbike no longer followed the owner's will when the dirt road was slippery. While going on one side of the road, stepping on the brake pedal made the motorbike slide to the other side of the road, falling flat on its face.
I remember a business trip, in the pouring rain, the car fell down like that. Our clothes were covered in mud, completely wet, and we had not yet reached our destination. We did not know what to do, standing in the pouring rain and… crying. Or that is the “oasis” Kon Pne (Kbang District, Gia Lai). Although it is only about 200 km from the center of Pleiku City, it is a seemingly endless distance. To go from Kon Pne commune to the center of Kbang District, a distance of 80 km, it takes 2 days to get there. Heavy rains will isolate us.
During a working trip to Gia Lai in 2002, after hearing Mr. Nguyen Tuan Khanh, Secretary of the Gia Lai Provincial Party Committee, worried about the difficulties in traveling, especially to the "oasis" area, Prime Minister Phan Van Khai quickly decided: Allocate 30 billion VND to build a road to Kon Pne commune. The year 2004 marked an unforgettable milestone for the "oasis", when the road was inaugurated and put into use in indescribable joy. Traveling was easy, and goods were made and purchased by private traders. Life here changed dramatically.
And many roads have been opened and upgraded, making many areas of Gia Lai and the Central Highlands more closely connected, bringing with them the prosperity of residential areas and all kinds of conveniences. That shows how important the development of transport infrastructure is in the socio-economic development of each locality, inter-region and the country.
Connect with the sea
Although it is only about 200 km from the center of Binh Dinh province from Pleiku city with the only National Highway 19, it takes nearly 4 hours to travel by car. That is enough to make investors hesitant.
Over the past 2 years, the project to Enhance Traffic Connectivity in the Central Highlands region with a total length of more than 143 km and a total investment of nearly 156 million USD has been implemented with the hope of shortening travel time and making travel easier. Some roads have been straightened and widened. In particular, the dangerous An Khe pass in Gia Lai is under construction with the roadbed lowered and many dangerous curves handled... Hopefully, after the project is completed in 2024, traffic on National Highway 19 will be more convenient.
With a strategic location like the Central Highlands, there is still a lack of expressways. In mid-2023, the Khanh Hoa - Buon Ma Thuot expressway project with a length of about 117.5 km connecting the two provinces of Khanh Hoa - Dak Lak will start construction with a scale of 4 lanes, a design speed of 80 - 100 km/h, and a total investment of nearly 22,000 billion VND.
Many roads in Gia Lai have been upgraded to facilitate local socio-economic development.
According to the plan, by 2025, the project will basically complete some sections with high traffic volume; complete the entire route in 2026 and put the entire project into operation in 2027. This is the first expressway deployed in the Central Highlands in an effort to connect this area with the South Central Coast.
According to the expressway system planning approved by the Government, the Ministry of Transport has developed a plan to 2030, the Central Highlands region will invest in 8 expressways with a length of 830 km. Some expressways that will be studied and implemented during this time include: Khanh Hoa - Buon Ma Thuot, Gia Nghia - Chon Thanh, Tan Phu - Bao Loc, Bao Loc - Lien Khuong, Quy Nhon - Pleiku and the expressway connecting Kon Tum with Quang Nam. The total investment capital requirement is expected to be about 151,900 billion VND.
Mr. Doan Huu Dung, Director of the Department of Transport of Gia Lai province, said: “The People's Committees of Gia Lai and Binh Dinh provinces have worked with relevant agencies on the Quy Nhon - Pleiku expressway. We have recalculated and proposed to reduce the length of the expressway from 151 km to 143 km, and the capital scale may be reduced from VND44,200 billion to more than VND37,600 billion.”
Up to now, the Standing Committee of Gia Lai Provincial Party Committee has approved and agreed in principle on the investment plan to build the Quy Nhon – Pleiku expressway under the form of public investment instead of the previous public-private partnership method. After receiving comments from Binh Dinh province, the two provinces will work again with central ministries and agencies and report to the Prime Minister.
More complete and modern transport infrastructure means more development opportunities for the entire Central Highlands region. This is an opportunity for inter-regional connectivity, adding more impetus for this region to develop its existing potential, becoming a dynamic economic region of Vietnam and deserving the position of one of the centers of the Vietnam - Laos - Cambodia development triangle in a short time.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/uoc-mong-dua-bien-len-cao-nguyen-18524061418020387.htm
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