Renovation of some main streets in Vinh City: Need to create consensus

Favorable policy, concerned about contribution percentage

Implementing the urban beautification policy, Vinh City People's Committee plans to focus on renovating some main streets in the coming time, including: Nguyen Van Cu (from Le Hong Phong to Nguyen Sy Sach), Ha Huy Tap, Le Hong Phong, Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, the route from the airport to Phuong Dong Hotel and around Ho Chi Minh Square. These streets will have their lighting system and communication system renovated; the tree system renovated; the existing drainage system renovated; the curbs, ditches, and sidewalks renovated. Particularly for the project of renovating curbs, ditches, and sidewalks, the investment capital solution proposed by Vinh City People's Committee is: 70% from the city budget, the remaining 30% mobilized from the people and organizations with housing projects and headquarters on the road.

However, according to information from Ha Huy Tap, Hung Dung, Hung Binh wards (the areas with the above-mentioned streets), at present, there has not been a consensus among the households. Specifically, the households basically agree with the urban beautification and sidewalk renovation policy; but are concerned about the percentage of contribution, and also the total cost estimate/m² of sidewalk transferred by Vinh City People's Committee.

As in Ha Huy Tap ward, the work of propaganda, mobilization, and collecting opinions from households has been completed and a report has been sent to the Vinh City People's Committee. In the report, this ward has proposed that the Vinh City People's Committee consider not applying or reducing the percentage for some costs in order to reduce a part of the contribution to the people and avoid wasting state budget capital in construction investment. Specifically, including: For survey consultancy work, no costs are applied (costs for surveying the Investment Proposal Report, costs for establishing survey tasks, costs for supervising survey work, costs for preparing environmental records, evaluating consulting supervision estimates); Reduce 50% of the cost ratio for project management and construction supervision consultancy.

In Hung Dung Ward, the renovation of a section of Le Nin Avenue sidewalk involved 7 households and 16 organizations. An official of Hung Dung Ward People's Committee said that from June 8 to 15, 2020, the ward coordinated with the Executive Committee of the blocks to visit each household, agency, and enterprise on the route to measure in reality, determining the sidewalk area for each household and organization. Based on the estimates sent by the Vinh City Construction Investment Project Management Board, the contribution for each specific case was calculated and asked for their opinions in writing. Among the comments received by Hung Dung Ward People's Committee, there was a request for the City People's Committee to check and review the preparation of estimates and unit prices for sidewalk renovation items; some households requested to reduce the contribution level because the current mechanism is too high compared to the household income level...

Measure people's strength and mobilize it properly.

In fact, in Yen Phuc A block, Hung Binh ward, where the sidewalk on Nguyen Van Cu street is determined to be renovated (involving 102 households), people are having concerns. Specifically, after distributing the opinion ballots, the block's Executive Committee collected 35 ballots. Of which, 2 votes disagreed; 3 votes suggested keeping the status quo, only trimming trees; 30 votes agreed with the sidewalk renovation policy but requested to review the percentage of contribution from households and estimate the total cost per 1m².

Mr. Tran Quoc Toan - Head of Yen Phuc A Block said that he highly appreciated the city's sidewalk renovation policy. Because the value achieved includes the whole society, the city, and related households such as increased land value, convenience in business or leasing business premises. Therefore, when distributing the opinion polls, he discussed and mobilized households to support. However, Mr. Toan also discussed: "Through the renovation of Nguyen Van Cu Street at the section connecting with Ho Tung Mau Street, people all see the benefits. Therefore, I basically agree with the city's policy, but I hope the city will recalculate the total investment/m²; reduce the % of contributions from the people; at the same time, I request that the implementation process must be truly fair in mobilizing funds...".

Regarding the total cost estimate for 1 m² of sidewalk, the Vinh City Construction Investment Project Management Board established it based on a number of similar projects that the city has implemented in the area. In particular, the total new construction cost for 1 m² of sidewalk made of natural stone is 1,378,000 VND; the total new construction cost for 1 m long of curb and groove made of natural stone is 1,642,000 VND. This cost, in addition to the cost of materials and labor, also includes taxes and fees, including costs that the People's Committee of Ha Huy Tap Ward proposed not to apply, or only apply 50%.

According to an official of Vinh City People's Committee who participated in urban beautification and sidewalk renovation in previous years, during this period the city implemented the project according to the budget mechanism of 50% and mobilized households for 50%. However, when building the cost level to mobilize people's contributions, only the direct construction price was included, cutting out all fees, taxes, design survey costs... He said: "Previously, the sidewalk was paved with Terrazzo tiles, the unit price was much lower than paving and curbing with natural bluestone. But at that time, the city built a very detailed cost estimate, excluding "whiskers" costs such as fees, taxes and directed the authorities of wards and communes to transfer them to blocks and streets for people to study; at the same time, established community monitoring teams so that people could see that the government implemented the project in a transparent and clear manner. Now, renovating the sidewalk using high-quality materials, the resources calculated on each household's contribution will be larger, of course, mobilization will be more difficult. Therefore, it is necessary to consider and calculate to create consensus among the people...".

To understand, to renovate the streets to ensure aesthetics, there are many tasks. From replacing old lighting systems, relocating and burying power lines and communication systems; clearing diseased trees, trees that need to be removed in the project and planting new trees according to the city's green tree project...; to replacing sumps, repairing damaged inspection pits... As for the sidewalk renovation project, the existing structure will be demolished; creating new ground, installing traffic reflective studs; paving sidewalks, assembling curbs, weaving grooves, and planting tree pots with natural green stone on concrete layers...

To complete all of these contents on 5 streets will require huge resources, as Vinh City People's Committee has announced, up to 675 billion VND. Obviously, this is a big policy that needs to be implemented. But to achieve it, it needs support and contributions from people and related organizations. Therefore, to achieve results, to soon have new, beautiful streets such as Nguyen Van Cu walking street, Ho Tung Mau..., Vinh City government needs to quickly grasp the recommendations and proposals to make appropriate adjustments!