“Strange story” in a border commune: A road only filled with 1/3 concrete

We went to the three most remote villages of Nam Giai commune (Que Phong), which are close to the Vietnam - Laos border, including Puc village, Meo village and Pieng Lang village. These are the three villages that do not have phone signal and have the most difficult traffic routes in Nam Giai commune.

The main road leading to the three most remote border villages of this commune runs along the Nam Giai River, sometimes uphill, sometimes downhill, with mounds of earth and rocks. There are sections where water from the stream overflows, making the ground boggy, and mud sticks to the wheels, making the car spin and not move.

Concrete roads in Nam Giai commune. Photo: Hoai Thu

“Every time we go to the grassroots and visit the people in these three border villages, the commune officials often slip and fall, scratching their arms and legs. Students and teachers often fall off their bikes when they go to school, which is very pitiful,” said Mr. Sam Van Duyet - Secretary of the Party Committee of Nam Giai commune.

Road to Pieng Lang village, Nam Giai commune (Que Phong). Photo: Hoai Thu

Thinking of ways to overcome the difficulties of the roads, helping people travel more conveniently, every year, in addition to waiting for the State's cement supply and the commune itself to take care of the sand and stone costs to make concrete roads, cadres, party members, and employees of the Nam Giai Commune People's Committee have contributed money to build some concrete roads in key sections that are too difficult to travel.

Mr. Lo Van Mai in Puc village said, “The commune People’s Committee officials and organizations and units in the commune voluntarily contributed money and directly rolled up their sleeves to mix sand, stone, and cement to build roads for the people. We are very happy and grateful to the officials. The road has only been filled 1/3, but that is already very good.”

Speaking more about this, Mr. Sam Van Thanh - Chairman of the Commune People's Committee added that each member of the Standing Committee of the Commune Party Committee contributed 500,000 VND; the rest, depending on each person's ability, contributed from 100,000 to 300,000 VND. "A little bit each year, a little bit makes a lot. Because there is not enough money to fill the entire road surface, the temporary solution is to fill 1/3 of the lane. To save costs, on days off, the staff also mixed sand and cement to pour concrete with the help of many people" - Mr. Sam Van Thanh said.

Mr. Lo Van Tinh in Cang village said that although only 1/3 of the road was paved, it has greatly helped solve the travel needs of the people, especially in the rainy season. There are "1/3 sections" where we can travel more easily, without the frequent slipping and falling like before.

Road to Puc village, Nam Giai commune (Que Phong). Photo: Hoai Thu

Although it was only a temporary solution, the work of Nam Giai commune officials has helped people travel more conveniently, and students and teachers no longer have to slip and fall and get covered in mud when going to school every rainy season.

Adding to the story of road construction in the village, Secretary of Cang Ngan Van Tuong recalled that in the year 2000, Nam Giai villagers left their fields to go see the first excavator coming to the commune to level the road. The elderly exclaimed, "When will the horse have horns, will Nam Giai villagers have cars?" Before that, commune officials had to walk for nearly 2 days to go to the district meeting, and no one knew what a motorbike or a car was.

It is known that in 2018, Nam Giai commune mobilized workers to build 554m of concrete road in Mo village and 200m in Pieng Lang village. In addition, public investment in Nam Giai commune in the period of 2017 - 2018 was prioritized for the construction of 4 projects including the Multi-function House of Primary and Secondary School, Reinforced concrete embankment of Pong Primary and Secondary School and Auxiliary works of Pieng Lang Kindergarten. In addition, it was also reserved for renovating and repairing the Fatherland Front and mass organizations' houses. Currently, Huoi Gian canal and some items of the Commune Health Station are being repaired.

Nam Giai commune leaders met with village officials. Photo: Hoai Thu

Mr. Sam Van Thanh also added that currently, Nam Giai commune has 3 projects that have completed documents and are preparing to start construction in 2018, including the rural traffic road in Meo village, the housing project for teachers of Nam Giai Primary School (Pieng Lang village school), Nam Giai commune and the rural traffic road in Cang village - Puc village (phase 1).

With just such actions, it has shown the close attention and concern of the cadres and party members of the People's Committee of Nam Giai commune for the people. And from there, it has contributed to increasing the people's trust in the government, creating solidarity and strengthening the grassroots party organization here.