Maximizing the effectiveness of the Intelligent Operations Center (IOC) model in Vinh City.

Experimental steps to create effects.

Specifically, this includes investment in the Operations Center.smart city90m wide²Located within the City People's Committee premises, the IOC control room is equipped with a 12-panel video wall system with signal controllers, rack cabinets, switches, modems, etc.; a LAN network and high-speed internet connection have been installed to ensure the smooth operation of the IOC Center.

Subsequently, the city also coordinated with the construction unit to install two traffic surveillance cameras at the intersection of Nguyen Van Cu and Le Hong Phong streets and the intersection of Nguyen Van Cu and Nguyen Si Sach streets; one 360-degree PTZ camera in the Ho Chi Minh Square area; and completed the synchronization of the LAN network infrastructure for the renovated five-story Vinh City People's Committee building.

Technical staff monitor image quality via traffic cameras at the IOC (Integrated Operations Center) in Vinh City. Photo: Nguyen Hai

Based on the established roadmap, the city has deployed the Integrated Operations Center (IOC) platform version 1.0, configured with 8 subsystems including field reporting, security cameras, traffic cameras, network-based information monitoring software, SOC information security monitoring system, integration of health, education, and socio-economic indicators databases; integration of a VMS system for centralized management of 32 cameras at key locations in the city; and provision of a web-based and application-based field reporting processing system.Vinh Smart"This platform is available for mobile devices on both iOS and Android operating systems; nearly 900 accounts have been granted to 54 units across the city; and training has been organized for all leaders and focal point officers of departments, wards, and communes on handling and reporting incidents from citizens and businesses."

A tree on Dinh Le Street was at risk of falling, a report from residents was sent to the Vinh IOC Center, which then assigned the Vinh City Green Parks Joint Stock Company to handle the situation within two days. Photo: Nguyen Hai

To operate the system, the city also established a pilot operating team of 5 members; simultaneously, it issued a temporary regulation on the management, operation, and use of the IOC monitoring system and a temporary regulation on receiving and processing feedback from organizations and citizens through the Vinh Smart online application; and regularly receives feedback, exchanges information, provides guidance, and promptly addresses difficulties and obstacles in the application for officials and civil servants in wards and communes…

Thanks to the Vinh Smart application, the city has been able to address many urban management issues. Images of trees at risk of falling before the rainy season or the phenomenon of houses without numbers and streets without names, reported by residents to the Vinh IOC, are all handled by the city's departments. At times, the department handles dozens of on-site reports from residents each month.

Mr. Dang Hieu Lam – Deputy Head of the Urban Management Department of Vinh City

By the beginning of May 2022, the Vinh Smart application had been downloaded 11,550 times, with 3,051 citizen accounts registered; 310 complaints were received. Of these, 266 complaints were processed (86%), 44 are still being processed (14%); 540 citizen reviews were conducted, with 80% satisfied, 10% acceptable, and 10% dissatisfied. In addition to its main function of receiving and processing complaints...reflecting the sceneBased on input from businesses and citizens, the Vinh Smart application also integrates many other utilities such as providing information from the government to the public about Covid-19 prevention and social distancing; integrating online cameras to send information to support emergency response; and a utility map providing locations with on-site reports, serving the search and retrieval needs of the people.

In the long run, if smart cities are implemented effectively, traffic police and urban order enforcement will experience reduced pressure in managing traffic flow on pedestrian streets every weekend. Photo: CTV

The high-altitude camera system in Ho Chi Minh Square and the public Wi-Fi network on Ho Tung Mau and Nguyen Van Cu streets allow monitoring and observation of the city center from 2-4 km and within a radius of 300 m; 32 security cameras in wards and communes are also integrated into the system. On average, the system records 3,500 news articles from national newspapers and 6,000 articles from social networks, and 1,500 articles from other sources related to Vinh City each month. Currently, the system has integrated data on education, health, and socio-economic indicators from the City People's Committee for 2019 and 2020.

In particular, although the traffic and security surveillance camera system is not yet extensive, it has effectively monitored traffic violations. Specifically, the system recorded 158,500 violations, of which 13,009 cases were deemed not to be violations (due to traffic lights and other objective reasons leading to the system incorrectly detecting the violation), and 144,667 violations remained unprocessed due to the lack of a formal penalty procedure.

(Excerpt from the report of the People's Committee of Vinh City)

Continue to invest in and make good use of the database.

In a conversation with us, Mr. Nguyen Nhu Kien, the officer in charge of the Vinh IOC Center, stated that the benefits and effectiveness of the Vinh IOC in monitoring and managing society are real and undeniable. In the context of increasingly reduced personnel, maintaining these extended arms and communication channels through smart applications is essential. However, after a year of pilot operation, several issues and shortcomings have emerged. To ensure successful operation, solutions are needed, including investment in infrastructure and enhanced connectivity, data exploitation, and interaction capabilities.

If the process of issuing traffic fines based on camera footage is approved, those who stop at red lights and cross the prohibited line or run red lights will be fined without the need for traffic police to be present at the scene. (Photo: CTV)

To our knowledge, Vinh City implemented the IOC (Integrated Operations Center) smart city model according to the provincial plan and decentralization. However, due to the relatively modest initial investment and the fact that the staff at the Vinh IOC were part-time, with the initial operation primarily overseen by the equipment supplier, Viettel, the initial enthusiasm and interest waned. Specifically, while the initial rate of app downloads for "Vinh Smart" was quite high, and a significant amount of field reports were received and processed effectively, this only lasted for a short time before decreasing. Furthermore, the processed information was rarely made public, thus diminishing its appeal.

Currently, for the Vinh smart city model to operate effectively, in addition to continued investment in upgrading technical infrastructure through the installation of more surveillance cameras and improved transmission lines connecting to the Operations Center, a dedicated team of technical staff is needed at the Center instead of the current dual roles. Regarding funding, during the pilot operation period, the city proactively invested in some aspects, but ultimately, this is a provincial project, so according to the City People's Committee, the province needs to continue to provide support and investment.

From another perspective, if the smart city system is implemented effectively by increasing the density of traffic cameras at key intersections, Vinh City could utilize the Vinh Smart software application to warn and guide traffic, thereby reducing congestion during peak hours. (Photo: CTV)

Reportedly, after a year of trial operation, in order to reassess and continue implementing items according to the roadmap and commitments with the supplier, the City People's Committee sent a document to relevant departments and the Provincial People's Committee requesting opinions on funding allocation and additional personnel for monitoring at the IOC. However, only the personnel plan has been approved, while the funding for the next phase of investment is still unavailable.

Regarding data collection for the IOC, the Vinh City People's Committee plans to seek opinions and share databases from the system.traffic cameraThe attempt by the Traffic Police Department of the Provincial Public Security Bureau was unsuccessful. Currently, the system is also not yet connected to or sharing data with the Operations Room at the Provincial People's Committee.

Currently, violations of urban order are quite numerous, ranging from encroaching on sidewalks and roads to illegal parking. Every day, based on reports, the city's rapid response team has to handle dozens of cases, but they cannot always be present at the scene. A surveillance camera system is absolutely essential. To manage the city according to the smart city model, sooner or later the city will have to invest in and increase the density of cameras in public areas to both monitor violations and manage officials on the ground.

Mr. Nguyen Tat Thien - Team Leader of the Urban Order Team of Vinh City

On the other hand, although the Vinh Smart application is available for installation on smartphones, due to weak promotion and guidance from the city, and its lack of widespread dissemination to the public, the number of people downloading and registering accounts for this application is decreasing and has not spread widely.

Similarly to traffic violations, thanks to smart city initiatives, Vinh City can effectively address construction units that perform shoddy work or fail to restore the surface and sidewalks after granting permits and completing urban infrastructure projects. Photo: Nguyen Hai

Finally, the City People's Committee needs to seek the opinion of the Provincial People's Committee on issuing a procedure for penalizing traffic and urban violations. Accordingly, through monitoring from security camera images, traffic and urban violations such as running red lights, littering in public places, etc., can be subject to fines issued remotely. Currently, after one year of operation, the system has recorded a fairly high rate of traffic violations in Vinh City.

However, to ensure objectivity and accuracy in penalties, the city needs to invest more in a synchronized and modern traffic signal infrastructure to eliminate objective reasons, and integrate AI features such as facial recognition into the surveillance camera system so that penalties are fair and convincing.