Hundred billion dong bridge 'suspended' for 10 years, people tired of taking the ferry

(Baonghean) - Up to now, after 10 years of bridge construction, people in Phu Son and neighboring communes of Tan Ky district, Nghe An still have to cross the Con River by... boat.

Phu Son is a particularly disadvantaged commune of Tan Ky district, with transportation being difficult because to enter the commune, one must cross the Con River by boat; it is very difficult during the rainy season. When Phu Son Bridge began construction, the people were extremely excited. However, after 10 years, the bridge is still an unfinished block of steel lying across the river, many parts of which have rusted.

People still have to take a boat across the Con River when entering and leaving Phu Son commune. Photo: Cam Tu

We were at Phu Son Bridge in early March and witnessed the solid bridge over the Con River that is still impassable because the two ends of the bridge have not been connected to the main road, the 8 spans on the bridge still have deep grooves and no protective railings. On the river, the ferry is still busily carrying passengers.

Ms. Dang Thi Dan - a ferryman at Phu Son bridge, shared: “Every day, many people travel through this ferry because this is the means of transportation in and out of Phu Son commune. It is still bearable in the dry season, but in the rainy season, the water rises and the wind is strong, making it very dangerous to travel. At those times, I do not want to transport people, but if I do not transport them, how will they travel? The worst thing is when people are sick or have to go to the hospital at night and still have to take the ferry.”

Although danger is always near, but for decades, if there was no ferry, the lives of thousands of people in Phu Son commune would have been isolated from the outside. Meanwhile, as mentioned, the Phu Son bridge next to it has been under construction for many years.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Hoai in Lam Son hamlet, who sells vegetables, said: When the bridge was built, we were extremely happy. But gradually, every time we crossed the river by ferry and looked at the bridge, we became more upset and sad. Every day, she had to take the ferry 2-3 times, each time costing 10,000 VND, and motorbikes cost 15,000 - 20,000 VND, and getting on and off the ferry was very dangerous.

Phu Son commune currently has 1,450 households with 4,850 people, of which ethnic minorities account for 30%. The income of people here mainly depends on agriculture, but due to difficult transportation, the main trade route with localities is divided, so agricultural products are difficult to sell and are sold at much lower prices than the market. For example, in the recent cassava harvest, the selling price in localities in the district was 1,200 VND/kg of cassava tubers, while in Phu Son commune the price was only 700 VND/kg. Therefore, the life of people here is always difficult, currently the poverty rate of the whole commune is nearly 33%.

Mr. Nguyen Hai Dong - Chairman of Phu Son Commune People's Committee said, "The people of Phu Son Commune are very upset because the bridge was built according to the plan to be completed in 3 years but until now it has not been opened for people to travel. Each year, a little is done and then left there. Up to now, the bridge has completed 90% of the items, only the railings, joints between 8 spans and 2 ends of the bridge remain. We, the local Party Committee and government, urgently request all levels and sectors to create all conditions to complete Phu Son Bridge."

Talking with Mr. Nguyen Viet Duc - Director of Tan Ky District Construction Investment Project Management Board, he said: Phu Son Bridge belongs to the road project to the center of Phu Son commune (Tan Ky) approved by the Provincial People's Committee in Decision No. 5430/QD/UBND-CN, dated December 31, 2007, with a total investment of 117,600 billion VND. The project was approved to adjust the total investment in Decision No. 2395/QD.UBND dated June 11, 2013 to 162,139 billion VND. Currently, 120.6 billion VND has been allocated, of which the source of the Government's budget is 117.6 billion VND and the source of the provincial budget is 3 billion VND).

Due to lack of capital, the first two contractors (Constrexim 16 and Minh Sang Construction Joint Stock Company) gave up. Then the province called on Hoa Hiep Company Limited to do the work, this enterprise actively implemented the construction, however, the capital source was still lacking so it has now stopped. Currently, according to the regulations of Directive 14/CT.TTg, the central budget does not support the adjustment of the investment level compared to the initial investment level, so since 2016 the project has no longer been allocated capital.

The steel surface of Phu Son Bridge is damaged in many places. Photo: Cam Tu

At the meeting of Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Xuan Duong and other sectors with the People's Committee of Tan Ky district in July 2016, the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee announced: Support funding to continue the construction and completion of Phu Son bridge, initially about 9 billion VND to soon open the bridge and prevent damage to the steel. The announcement also clearly stated: The total investment capital is 162 billion VND, of which 117 billion VND has been granted from the bond source, the additional part has not been funded. Assign the District People's Committee to work with the Department of Planning and Investment to include it in the 2017 plan; the district will make a submission to the Provincial People's Committee so that the province can assign the Department of Finance to advance 5 billion VND and assign the contractor to complete before September 30, 2016.

Mr. Nguyen Van Hai - Director of the Department of Finance said that the Department of Finance has submitted a proposal to the Provincial People's Committee to assign the Department of Planning and Investment and the People's Committee of Tan Ky district to commit to allocating capital from the 2017 public investment plan for the Phu Son bridge project, an amount of 5 billion VND.

With that 5 billion VND, the contractor can only complete a little more of the bridge deck. Mr. Pham Van Hanh - Director of Hoa Hiep Company Limited said: The company has spent 31 billion VND, up to now the District People's Committee owes 15 billion VND, so the company does not have the capacity to complete the project. The company hopes that the State will allocate capital to pay the debt to reduce difficulties for the business.

People of Phu Son commune are hoping that relevant authorities will have solutions to prioritize capital to soon complete the urgent Phu Son bridge project.

Chau Lan - Cam Tu