Opening a 'billion-dollar runway' to Can Gio

Connecting from metro to sea-crossing road and elevated road

Only about 50 km from the center of Ho Chi Minh City, but for many years, the city's residents have "turned their backs" on the sea, tourists only come once, the biggest obstacle is traffic.

In fact, since the end of September 2015, Can Gio Urban Tourism Joint Stock Company has proposed to build Can Gio Bridge to replace the current Binh Khanh ferry to connect traffic conveniently with the city center. However, the location of the bridge proposed by the investor is not in the planning, so Ho Chi Minh City had to consult with departments and branches and then submit it to the Prime Minister for consideration. Nearly a year later, in August 2016, the Prime Minister agreed in principle, assigning the Ministry of Transport to review and add this project to the Ho Chi Minh City Transport Development Plan to 2020 and vision after 2020 to serve as a basis for implementation. Then on May 9, 2017, the Government Office officially issued a document agreeing to Ho Chi Minh City to build Can Gio Bridge and 2 other projects.

Perspective of Can Gio coastal tourist urban area

Photo: VG

The bridge has not been built yet, so on April 19, when Vingroup Corporation started the Can Gio coastal tourism urban area project in Long Hoa commune and Can Thanh town (old), the central and local leaders had to travel early in the morning, spending several hours to attend the ceremony. Considered the first "fireworks" of the "campaign" to open the "Can Gio treasure", the city's residents are still worried because the traffic infrastructure has not shown any signs of movement. Without a bridge and a road, the goal of welcoming 8-9 million tourists each year to the most modern coastal urban area in Vietnam is unlikely to be feasible.

But that worry has now been resolved. Not only investing in the $10 billion super project, Vingroup also "undertook" the construction of the metro line and the sea-crossing road so that going to Can Gio would be "a snap".

That is the reason why, right after Vingroup Corporation sent a document to the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee proposing to study and invest in a sea route connecting Can Gio and Ba Ria - Vung Tau (old) under the BT form, Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Bui Xuan Cuong directed departments, branches and sectors to urgently consider this proposal and advise the city before October 10. In fact, the sea route is the next section of the elevated Rung Sac highway project that this enterprise has proposed to be implemented. The elevated route connects directly to the Ben Luc - Long Thanh highway, connecting to Ring Road 3.

Previously, when Vingroup proposed to build a 48.5 km metro line connecting the center of Ho Chi Minh City and Can Gio, the city's leaders also urgently asked for opinions from the Central Government, recommending to add the project to the planning as a basis for implementing the next steps. According to Vingroup's proposal, this high-speed urban railway line connecting the center of Ho Chi Minh City to Can Gio, passing through Nha Be commune, takes only about 12 minutes. The line has a total investment of about 10 billion USD, expected to be implemented from 2026 and operational around 2028.

Thus, with the high-speed railway system from Nha Be - Can Gio, Can Gio bridge and Can Gio - Vung Tau sea-crossing road, in the future, people and tourists can go through Can Gio to Vung Tau, instead of having to take a detour as at present.

Turning an agricultural district into a "valuable" urban area

Never before have Can Gio's economic breakthrough projects been so determined to be implemented by Ho Chi Minh City leaders and received so much support from the people as in this period. Witnessing the transformation of Can Gio from the time when there was only one way to get to the inner city by ferry, until Rung Sac road was built to replace Dan Xay ferry, clean water was connected, electricity was brought in, Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City Real Estate Association (HoREA) Le Hoang Chau always worried: "With all the existing resources, Can Gio should have developed strongly a long time ago".

Mr. Le Hoang Chau emphasized: Historically, Giong Ca Vo in Can Gio is where prehistoric people lived. This is an archaeological and anthropological relic, the cradle proving that prehistoric people once lived in the southern region, right in Can Gio. Besides, this is the base of the 10th Special Forces Group of the Sac Forest and is a rare biosphere reserve in Vietnam. Can Gio plays an important role in history, present and future, not only of Ho Chi Minh City but also of the Southern Key Economic Zone. Therefore, Can Gio people deserve to change their lives through large infrastructure projects such as Vingroup's urban area, super transit port; Can Gio deserves such "good" investment.

Can Gio is facing a "golden" opportunity to change its appearance.

PHOTO: INDEPENDENCE

The Can Gio - Vung Tau sea bridge and the elevated Rung Sac road that Vingroup has just proposed to invest in are also projects that HoREA has proposed to implement many years ago, but the city has not had enough resources to do so. These are strategic infrastructures that not only solve traffic bottlenecks but also create landscape symbols for the city, ensure maritime traffic, serve the future super transit port, and change the face of the whole land.

Citing the Phu My Hung urban area, Mr. Le Hoang Chau said, also originating from the suggestion of the late Prime Minister Vo Van Kiet, the real estate development joint venture between the Taiwanese group and domestic investors under the leadership of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee has formed the first successful model urban area in Vietnam. As Vingroup is doing with Can Gio, before developing the urban area, the investor Phu My Hung invested in the entire Nguyen Van Linh street (previously called Bac Nha Be - Nam Binh Chanh street, then renamed Binh Thuan street).

The "nail" road connecting to the 400-hectare urban area has motivated the Central Government and Ho Chi Minh City to decide to invest in Phu My bridge connecting to the Southeast region, and to build the Ben Luc - Long Thanh expressway. Once a large population has been attracted, they will continue to pull the power line, connect the water line, and add a series of connecting bridges and roads. The land price in the old Binh Chanh area has skyrocketed from around 20,000 VND/m2 to thousands of times. From here, Phu My Hung Urban Area has been truly invested in, many large enterprises have flocked here, transforming the South of Ho Chi Minh City from a swampy area into the "richest area" in the city and typical of the whole country.

"The story of Can Gio is happening exactly like that. When Vingroup announced the decision to invest in the project of reclaiming the sea with full range of high-class utilities, Ho Chi Minh City also decided to invest in the International Transit Port, and at the same time approved and added a series of connecting traffic projects. Along with that, many small investors are also coming here to cooperate, forming urban areas "following" Vingroup's mega-project. It can be seen that the "seed capital" from the private sector has opened the door for the second change of life for Can Gio people, turning Can Gio from an agricultural district into an urban area. When there is a leading crane leading the way, the whole flock of cranes will follow, go first to pave the way and then together with public investment change the face of the whole area", Mr. Le Hoang Chau emphasized.

After the completion of Long Thanh International Airport, tourists can travel along National Highway 51 to Ben Luc - Long Thanh Expressway, connecting directly to Can Gio. The biggest bottleneck preventing Can Gio from taking off will be officially removed.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/mo-duong-bang-ti-do-toi-can-gio-185251022230626523.htm