After more than 3 years of implementing the project on building Da Nang into a smart city during the 2018-2025 period, with orientations to 2030, the city has achieved many positive results, and basically completed its specific goals.

A young person experiencing smart tourism with 5G provided by the Military-run Telecommunications Group (Viettel) in Da Nang. Photo: M.Q

Smart infrastructure, platforms and databases formed

The project on building a smart city is being divided into 3 phases. In particular, smart infrastructure, platforms and data were prepared by 2020, applications will be intelligentised by 2025, and community applications will be intelligentised and the building of a smart city, synchronously connecting with smart city networks in the country and in ASEAN region will be completed by 2030.

Between 2019 and 2021, Da Nang completed 12 out of the 13 goals set in the smart city project.

Specifically, the MAN urban network was expanded, connecting to Party agencies and non-business units. The city’s data centre ensures the capacity of installing and deploying databases and smart applications. A centre for monitoring, operating, centralised processing and multitasking was established to connect and analyse interdisciplinary data, and provide socio-economic and urban indicators.

Also, the smart traffic monitoring system through smart cameras, automatic and centralised traffic light control system, and the online traffic portal at phase 1, were basically completed.

Besides, many technological solutions were effectively implemented. In detail, the databases of the healthcare sector, and electronic health records associated with electronic medical records, were completed.

E-hospitals and a smart hospital were established. The smart city model in ​​Lien Chieu District, along with a number of smart urban clusters such as High-tech Park; Software Park No. 2, and Centralised Information Technology Park, were deployed.

Meanwhile, the final goal of piloting the smart travel cards is expected to be announced and implemented by late 2022.

The city has implemented 34 projects and programmes under the smart city project from the local budget.

Till date, 21 projects, totalling VND97.9 billion, have been already completed and put into operation. Five projects, worth VND147.5 billion in total, have their design and cost estimation documents approved and will be put into use in the 2022-2023 period. The Da Nang authorities have approved investment policy decision for three projects totalling VND 8.5 billion which will be put into use in 2023.  Four others are completing investment policy documents and one project goes on hold.

Employees at the ST United Co., Ltd based in Ngu Hanh Son District. Photo: M.Q

Continuing to implement key tasks until 2025

Deputy Director of the Da Nang Department of Information and Communications Tran Ngoc Thach highlighted the significance of the smart city project in improving the management and administration efficiency of government agencies and gradually shifting the traditional environment to the digital environment.

The smart city project also makes a significant contribution to the prevention and control of COVID-19 and the city’s economic recovery and development process, especially the development of the digital economy. It provides many smart services and utilities for residents to gradually create digital habits and skills among them, thereby promoting the development of digital society.

In order to concretise the goals set in the smart city project, in the coming time, the city will prioritise developing infrastructure for 5G mobile network and Internet of Things (IoT); upgrading and expanding the city's data centre with a cloud computing platform; building a network of surveillance camera systems citywide; completing a shared data warehouse to ensure the ability to handle a variety of data; continuing to upgrade and complete specialised monitoring centres; and forming a synchronous and unified urban infrastructure database system on the GIS geographic information system with full layers of land, construction, and traffic data.

To accomplish the above goals, Mr. Tran Ngoc Thach said the municipal Department of Information and Communications will continue to coordinate with units and localities to effectively deploy and use specialised applications, databases, and online public services.

Attention will be paid to promoting domestic and international cooperation, and attracting resources and technological solutions from organisations, businesses and experts to support smart city deployment. Heed will be on appealing for support, participation, and companionship of organisations, businesses and dwellers in carrying out the smart city project.

Reporting by M.QUE - Translating by M.DUNG