HO SY TRUNG, Deputy Secretary of the City Party Committee, Chairman of the People's Committee of Dong Ha City

Since Dong Ha city was established in August 2009, investment in social development in general and infrastructure construction in particular has always been focused on and achieved many important results. Thanks to that, the appearance of the provincial capital's central urban area is increasingly spacious and modern, meeting the requirements of socio-economic development, ensuring national defense and security, creating a basic foundation for Dong Ha to become a type II urban area.

According to statistics, the total investment for infrastructure construction in the 2010-2015 period was 5,695 billion VND, in the 2016-2020 period it was 16,207 billion VND, and in the 2021-2024 period it was 28,241 billion VND.

The outstanding results in the investment in urban infrastructure construction of Dong Ha in recent times are the fairly synchronous development of the traffic system with many large-scale projects, gradually creating a complete traffic system, connecting inner and outer city areas to serve socio-economic development, expanding urban development space such as Le Thanh Tong, Tran Binh Trong, Tran Nguyen Han, Tran Phu, Le Loi extension, Hoang Dieu, Ba Trieu, Thanh Nien, Ward 2 to Dong Le - Dong Luong, Tan So, Con Co, Thach Han, the eastern bypass of Dong Ha city, Hieu River cable-stayed bridge, Vinh Phuoc bridge, Dai Loc bridge and the road connecting National Highway 1, Hieu River bridge, Hieu River saltwater dam...

Many inner-city streets and concrete roads in small, narrow, degraded residential areas have been upgraded, expanded, and sidewalks have been completed. Along with that, attention has been paid to overcoming shortcomings, creating convenience and safety at key intersections and traffic "black spots" in the area.

In the past 5 years alone, more than 30 key intersections and traffic "black spots" have been repaired, upgraded, expanded, signs and traffic lights installed, speed bumps created, and traffic lines painted, such as the National Highway 1-Tran Hung Dao intersection, Bui Thi Xuan Street; Ham Nghi-Nguyen Trai, Ham Nghi-Ton That Thuyet intersection; National Highway 1-Hoang Dieu intersection, Thanh Nien Street... contributing to the completion of traffic infrastructure according to planning, ensuring traffic order and safety and urban beauty.

Fidel Park, Dong Ha City - Photo: HUY NAM

Construction works and investment projects on technical infrastructure are being implemented synchronously, such as the wastewater collection and treatment system of Dong Ha city, including main items such as sewer lines, pressure sewers to collect wastewater; construction of a wastewater treatment plant with a capacity of 5,000 m3/day and night; dredging and embankment of 3 regulating lakes including Nguyen Hue, Khe San and Dai An lakes; embankment of Con river from Khoa Bao bridge to Hieu river bridge...

Along with that, the lighting system, decorative lights at intersections, central routes and trees, Fidel Park, Le Duan Park, mini parks have been invested in to solve the shortcomings of urban infrastructure, limit flooding and gradually improve the urban environment as well as create a new look for the city.

An important highlight in the investment in infrastructure development of Dong Ha in recent times is the expansion of many new urban areas and residential areas in the central and suburban areas of the city such as Nam Dong Ha Urban Area, Bac Song Hieu, Khoa Bao Ancient Citadel, Fidel Park; Residential areas on Thanh Nien, Han Thuyen, Con Co, Dang Dung, Le Thanh Tong-Truong Chinh streets...

Many large-scale infrastructure projects have been invested in such as the City Center Cultural House, the City Political Center, the City Administrative Center. The school system, medical facilities, cultural and sports institutions, etc. have been strongly invested in to meet the development goals as well as the needs of the people. In addition, the People's housing projects have also been invested in on a large scale and methodically, ensuring the planning, architecture and development space of the city. Up to now, solid and semi-solid housing has reached over 93% of the total housing fund.

Creating the synchronous development of Dong Ha's infrastructure cannot be mentioned without the consensus and cooperation of the people in building safe and civilized streets and residential communities, investing in cultural and sports institutions at the grassroots level; of the business community and entrepreneurs in creating infrastructure to serve business and services, contributing to changing the face of the city.

Implementing policies on building digital government and smart cities, Dong Ha focuses on investing to develop this field. In particular, it focuses on building and developing network infrastructure and information technology equipment, databases from the city to the wards to build a synchronous and connected e-government to ensure information safety and security; effectively deploying the application of "electronic one-stop shop" at the City People's Committee and the People's Committees of wards, increasing the rate of providing high-level online public services.

Maintain the effective operation of the Dong Ha City Smart Urban Operations Center, thereby monitoring, managing and receiving information from people to make quick, timely and effective decisions.

From 2022 to present, the City People's Committee has allocated resources to invest in 7 component projects under the Smart City Construction Project for the period 2021-2025 with a vision to 2030, including: building a security and information security system; Solutions for listening to citizens on social networks; Infrastructure and equipment for building smart cities; Building a software system for managing and controlling smart lighting; Automatic water level measurement system to monitor and warn of flooding in the community... Currently, the city has 100% coverage of 3G and 4G networks; fiber optic internet has reached 100% of residential areas, with no "low spots" in mobile signals.

On August 8, 2024, the Prime Minister issued Decision No. 813/QD-TTg on recognizing Dong Ha city as a type II urban area, fully reflecting the leadership's attention and facilitation of the Provincial Party Committee, People's Council, and Provincial People's Committee, the synchronous coordination of provincial departments, branches, and sectors, along with the determination to build an increasingly civilized and developed provincial urban center of the cadres, party members, and people of Dong Ha city.

Therefore, building Dong Ha city to develop rapidly and sustainably, increasingly better meeting its role and position as the political, economic, cultural, scientific and technical center of the province, becoming a dynamic urban area on the East-West Economic Corridor is one of the key tasks of the Party Committee, government and people of Dong Ha city in particular and Quang Tri province in general.

Based on the results achieved in infrastructure development investment, the city will continue to exploit and mobilize resources to invest synchronously and gradually modernize infrastructure works in transport, engineering, environment, education, healthcare, culture, industrial infrastructure, trade and services; invest in completing infrastructure of urban and residential areas; build more new residential areas and urban areas...

These are important tasks, requiring great efforts from the entire political system and consensus and cooperation from the people of Dong Ha city. To effectively implement, in addition to regular tasks, the city will focus on promoting administrative procedure reform; applying information technology, building e-government; improving the investment and business environment, enhancing competitiveness and PCI index.

Review and simplify the processes for handling records and procedures related to non-budgetary investment and selecting investors using land. Develop and implement a quality public investment plan and improve the efficiency of public investment; focus on key areas of investment; strictly manage, ensure implementation progress, disburse quickly and put projects into effective operation soon.

In particular, focus on budget capital to invest in building and completing the socio-economic infrastructure system, effectively performing the role of "seed capital" to attract non-budgetary capital sources and foreign investment capital to invest in development in the area. Expand investment forms, encourage domestic and foreign investors to invest in developing socio-economic infrastructure and production and business projects.

Accelerate the implementation of breakthroughs in building a synchronous, modern, green, and environmentally friendly infrastructure and urban system. At the same time, the city creates the best conditions to attract foreign investment capital, including foreign direct investment capital, ODA capital, and preferential loans from international financial institutions to develop infrastructure...

In order to further improve the infrastructure, Dong Ha city needs more leadership attention, support and facilitation from the Provincial Party Committee, People's Council, Provincial People's Committee, departments, branches and sectors in terms of general mechanisms and policies as well as specific support mechanisms so that the city has appropriate, timely and effective investment resources.