'Hanging villages' in the heart of Vinh city

Waiting for resettlement

Walking along the roads at the foot of Quyet Mountain (Trung Do Ward, Vinh City), it is not difficult to see rows of dilapidated, even tattered houses.Due to planning problems,For decades, many households here have not dared to build solid houses, not only that, their lives have also encountered countless difficulties.

“My children have been married for more than 10 years but have to live together in a cramped house. We want to build a solid house but cannot. During storms, the whole neighborhood runs away to take shelter. It is very difficult,” Ms. Nguyen Thi Hong (62 years old, Ngo Thi Nham street) shook her head in disappointment.

People in Trung Do ward live in dilapidated houses but still do not dare to build solid houses. Photo: Tien Hung

According to local people, this area is located in the planning area of ​​Quyet Mountain Forest Park Project nearly 20 years ago. After many adjustments, in 2008, the Provincial People's Committee issued a Decision approving the detailed planning for Quyet Mountain Forest Park construction. According to the approved planning at that time, to implement the project, it was necessary to relocate 7 agencies, 5 collective housing areas and 300 households. Quyet Mountain Forest Park Project has an area of ​​147.70 hectares, including items such as reception area, war relics park; entertainment service area; natural landscape ecological area; historical and cultural park area; Buddhist construction planning area; restoration of Phuong Hoang Trung Do Imperial Citadel relic. The total estimated investment is 600 billion VND with 100% investor capital...

The project planning period is until 2020. However, according to Mr. Tran Quang Dai - Chairman of Trung Do Ward People's Committee, the ward has not seen any movement on the project yet. Meanwhile, hundreds of people living in the planning area are very upset.

“People are stuck in a planning freeze, so it is very difficult. It is also impossible to separate the red book when children move out to live separately. When making the book, the people's books are crossed out, so the value of their land is not high. Many families want to send their children to work abroad, so they mortgage their red books to the bank, but at most they can only borrow 10 million VND. Transferring is also very difficult. People are also not allowed to build high-rise buildings,” said Mr. Dai.

Hang until when?

In Vinh Tan Ward, the Le Mao Road Extension Project was approved by the Provincial People’s Committee in 2005. Since then, dozens of households in Yen Phuong block have been banned from building or expanding their houses to implement the project. However, to date, the road remains on paper.

Most of the households along Ngo Thi Nham Street running along Quyet Mountain have been stuck in planning suspension for decades. Photo: Tien Hung

According to the reporter, although less than 1 km from the center of Vinh City, this place is like a poor village in the countryside with bamboo groves, dilapidated houses... One of the households here, Ms. Nguyen Thi Khuong, said that her house was built 30 years ago and is now seriously degraded. From 2005 until now, her family has not dared to build or expand anything because every year they were promised "to move next year". This old house is currently home to 7 people, including 3 generations. The house is degraded and dilapidated, her family had to buy tarpaulin to hang on the tiled roof to prevent leaks. Because the area around this area was leveled to build a new urban area, the households planned to extend Le Mao Street were surrounded by low-lying areas, and when it rained, they were flooded. During last year's flood, the water was up to her chest, and her whole family had to evacuate.

Mr. Vo Dinh Vong has 4 married children, his land is 1,582 square meters, but he cannot divide it among his children to build houses, and has to rent a place to live. Mr. Vong said that the government has counted the property 3 times to compensate, but so far, he has not received any compensation to move. Too frustrated, Mr. Vong and other households here have sent petitions many times, but still have not received an exact answer on when they will be resettled.

Also in Vinh Tan ward, many households in Phuc Vinh block have also suffered because they have been in a suspended project for the past 15 years. According to the residents, in 2005, Vinh City planned this land to build a new ward headquarters separated from Vinh Tan ward. However, the plan to separate the ward has now been canceled, but the suspended households have not been "freed". "We have 600 square meters of residential land, while our 3 children are married and currently living together in a level 4 house of only 50 square meters. We cannot divide the land to build houses for our children, nor can we transfer it to get money to buy another place", said a resident in this suspended project.

Discussing this issue, Mr. Nguyen Hoang Manh - Chairman of Vinh Tan Ward People's Committee said that the suspended planning in the above two areas not only makes the people miserable but also the ward authorities. "People complain a lot, the flood, the ward officials are also worried because this area is too low. During the flood last year, we had to walk into these households to help them move their belongings, boats could not enter because of the trees. Honestly, we really hope the city will soon relocate the people to ease their suffering", the leader of this ward added.

Located right next to the center of Vinh City, the scenery here is no different from a countryside village due to planning issues. Photo: Tien Hung

According to the reporter's investigation, this extended Le Mao road is 384m long, with 29 households to be relocated, and the area to be cleared is more than 18,000 m2. In 2010, Vinh City People's Committee planned to arrange a resettlement area in Trung Do ward, but the people did not agree because they found it inappropriate. Later, because they could not find another resettlement site, the project was stalled.

In a recent dialogue with the people, the people agreed to the resettlement location in Vinh Tan ward, near the old residential area of ​​the people. Vinh City leaders have directed functional departments to soon set up a project and build infrastructure for the people to relocate. As for 10 households in Phuc Vinh block that are stuck in the planning of the ward headquarters, Vinh City People's Committee has agreed to submit to Nghe An Provincial People's Committee to adjust the planning of the ward headquarters, converting it into an on-site resettlement area for these households and some households planned in other projects.