Inadequate power and lighting system in Vinh city

(Baonghean) - In Vinh City, there are currently many electric poles in the middle of many main roads and alleys. In addition, although they have been named, many roads still do not have lighting. These are issues that city voters have repeatedly reported and hope for early solutions to ensure traffic safety and urban civilization.

"Trap" electric pole

According to statistics, Le Loi ward is a locality with many electric poles located in the middle of alleys, posing many potential traffic safety risks for people. For example, at alley number 2, Ly Thuong Kiet street, the intersection with Chu Van An street, it is easy to see an electric pole located almost in the middle of the alley.

Mr. Nguyen Van The, a student of grade 8, Le Loi ward, said that alley 2 was expanded in 2012, and since then, this electric pole has been standing right in the middle of the alley. "People in the block have requested that relevant authorities and sectors have a plan to relocate it to restore the road to a clear path and make traffic easier," said Mr. The.

An electric pole is located almost in the middle of Truong Tien Street, at the intersection with Minh Khai Street in Hung Binh Ward, Vinh City.

In Le Loi ward, there are also electric poles that act as "traps" on the road, such as one electric pole at the beginning of lane 35 on Le Lai street, two poles at lane 54 on Chu Van An street;... Voters of Le Loi ward have repeatedly petitioned all levels to address this issue, but so far the resolution has been very slow.

Information from the People's Committee of Le Loi Ward said that up to now, the ward has relocated 5 electric poles in this form, of which in 2015 one pole was relocated under the principle that the ward supported the cost of purchasing the pole and the people contributed the rest.

Mr. Thai Giap Vinh, Chairman of the People's Committee of Le Loi Ward, said: "The cost to relocate an average electric pole is about 15 million VND. This is a large amount of money for both the locality and the people because the number of electric poles located on the road is relatively large. Therefore, both Vinh City and the electricity industry have specific support plans for the locality to resolve this situation."

In the middle of Truong Tien street, Hung Binh ward, at the intersection with Nguyen Thi Minh Khai street, or at To Ba Ngoc street, right at the curve in front of house number 6, there are electric poles standing in the middle of the street...

Mr. Ho Viet Thanh, Vice Chairman of Hung Binh Ward People's Committee said: Based on people's opinions as well as the ward's survey, the locality has sent a document to Vinh City People's Committee and Vinh City Electricity Company requesting to calculate the appropriate relocation of electric poles.

And here is an electric pole located right on Ngo Duc Ke street.

Not only in the above wards but also in many wards and communes of Vinh city, according to statistics, there are many electric poles lying in the roadway, posing a great risk to traffic safety.

According to the Urban Management Department, Vinh City People's Committee, the previous system of electric poles was suitable for the current traffic status at that time. However, due to the process of site clearance to implement projects to expand traffic routes and technical infrastructure works, the relocation of electric poles within the area requiring site clearance has not been carried out, leading to the existence of these electric poles.

Many roads have no lights

According to local residents, many roads in Hung Loc commune have names but no street lights. Tran Minh Tong Street, 1.2 km long, passing through many hamlets of the commune, is an example.

Mr. Nguyen Van Thang, head of Ngu Loc hamlet - where this road passes through, said that the traffic volume is increasing but the road has no electricity so it is very dangerous. At the intersection of Tran Minh Tong and Dang Nhu Mai streets, many traffic accidents have occurred. "During the meetings with voters of the People's Council, our hamlet proposed installing lights on this road but it has not been implemented yet."

In Hung Loc commune, in addition to Tran Minh Tong street, according to statistics from urban officials, the commune People's Committee also has Tran Khanh Du, Tran Thanh Tong, and Chu Trac streets that still do not have lighting.

Tran Minh Tong Street, Hung Loc Commune still has no street lights.

Mr. Hoang Minh Thi, urban officer, Hung Loc Commune People's Committee said: "The named roads are managed by the city. Therefore, the commune has made a petition to Vinh City People's Committee but it has not been implemented yet while the people have petitioned the local government many times to install lighting to ensure traffic safety and urban order."

In the document summarizing the opinions of voters, delegations, and the Vinh City Fatherland Front Committee before the 12th session of the 20th City People's Council, lighting for named streets was an issue that many voters in many wards and communes reported and requested the city to pay attention to and handle.

For example, voters in Hung Binh ward all requested to install a lighting system for Nguyen Tien Tai street. Voters in Quang Trung ward reported that the Le Khoi street section connecting Phan Chau Trinh street to Nguyen Thai Hoc street has no lighting.

Voters of Hung Dung ward proposed to invest in lighting on Ham Nghi, Nguyen Viet Xuan and Phan Cong Tich streets. Similarly, in Cua Nam ward, voters also proposed that the city install a lighting system on Pham Hong Thai street in block 6A;…

Investment resource problems

Regarding the shortcomings of the electrical system, including electric poles located in the roadway and alley, in 2014, Vinh City People's Committee issued an Official Dispatch on handling the shortcomings of the electrical system in the wards and communes.

This includes the assignment of the People's Committees of wards and communes to re-examine and coordinate with the electricity sector to develop a plan to resolve the problems in their areas from the 2015 capital investment for basic construction of the wards and communes. However, currently the budgets of the City as well as the wards and communes are limited and most of them have not been resolved yet.

Faced with that situation, on January 8, 2016, Vinh City People's Committee issued a notice signed by Chairman of Vinh City People's Committee Nguyen Hoai An assigning Vinh Investment and Construction Project Management Board (PMU) to implement the investment and construction of the project: Relocating low-voltage electric poles in the roadway in Vinh city.

In the context of limited resources, Vinh City is prioritizing the installation of lighting on central and main roads before investing in bringing people to the outskirts.

Accordingly, the Project Management Board is responsible for coordinating with relevant departments, branches, units, People's Committees of wards and communes to urgently complete documents and procedures in accordance with processes and regulations, ensuring quality and progress to submit to competent authorities for approval, and to complete before March 15, 2016. In addition, the Finance - Planning Department advises the City People's Committee to arrange capital for investment in construction of the project.

Regarding the lighting system on many named roads that have not been built, Mr. Nguyen Quoc Thang, Head of Urban Management Department, Vinh City People's Committee, said that there are many reasons why the named roads have not yet installed lighting systems, including some roads that have not yet had their land cleared so there is no place to install lighting poles.

However, the main reason is still limited resources for this issue. Therefore, based on resources, Vinh City is prioritizing investment in central and main roads before investing in people in the suburbs.

“Currently, the city is encouraging people to invest in lighting bulbs attached to low-voltage electric poles and will process the procedures for people to connect electricity to light up the streets to ensure traffic safety and urban order while waiting for funding to build standard lighting,” said Mr. Thang./.

Nhat Le