In 2024, Da Nang will deploy urban underground space planning to have a basis for planning and investing in many important transportation and underground projects in a timely, synchronous and interconnected manner.

The Dien Bien Phu tunnel project. Photo: HOANG HIEP

Planning level

Da Nang has been implementing the construction of many underground projects such as underground cables, building rainwater drainage systems, wastewater, water supply, information, power supply. Notably, traffic tunnel projects along Tran Phu, Dien Bien Phu, Duy Tan streets and the road leading to Tran Thi Ly Bridge, underground parking lot under the Da Nang Administrative Centre building and under the campus in front of the Dien Hai Citadel.

Currently, on a section of Nguyen Van Linh Street, from its intersections with Hoang Dieu Street and the Rong (Dragon) Bridge, the city has invested in building a system of technical trenches on both sides of the street to arrange all lines, information cables, power cables and underground water supply pipes. Underneath of the Dragon Bridge is a walking tunnel to with Bach Dang Pedestrian Street.

Also, the investor of Holiday Beach Hotel has built a tunnel under Vo Nguyen Giap Street to allow pedestrians to walk to My An Beach, connecting with underground souvenir shops, children's play areas and cinemas.

Many hotels, hi-rise buildings, commercial centres and public services have built basements such as the JW Marriott building with 4 basements; Muong Thanh hotel project and Son Tra luxury apartment building have 2 basements each.

The city is also planning large-scale underground projects such as a tunnel under the Han River connecting Van Don with Dong Da streets and similar ones through the Da Nang International Airport.

The Da Nang Master Plan for the 2021 - 2030 period, with a vision towards 2050 has oriented the development of underground space in the central area by building underground space systems at public works, high buildings, key traffic intersections, railway station areas and urban railway lines.

At the same time, there is the parking lot and underground traffic tunnel to create a complete, multi-purpose underground space, encourage the exploitation of underground space for parking combined with commercial services.

An underground 4D movie theater under My An Beach next to the walking tunnel under Vo Nguyen Giap Street invested by Holiday Beach Hotel. Photo: HOANG HIEP

Identify works, projects and investment capital sources

According to Director of the Da Nang Industrial Park and Hi-tech Park Infrastructure Development Project Management Board Nguyen Van Anh, the unit is collecting opinions on the task profile for general urban underground space planning in the city for the Da Nang People's Committee to implement planning. "One of the purposes of urban underground space planning is to research and propose solutions to create interconnections between underground works and ground works.

Mr. Nguyen Van Anh said, underground space planning will determine the route direction, location, and size of urban railway lines (including stations) and the location and size of road tunnels, along with areas expected for the building underground parking lots.

Along with that, the city plans to implement investment priority projects that are of great significance to the city’s development motivation, propose strategic projects, roadmaps, and implementation methods, identify key investment areas and key projects requiring investment, the location of public areas, social and economic infrastructure items prioritised for investment, propose implementation resources, capital scale, and research investment in the form of public-private partnership (PPP).

According to the Da Nang Department of Planning and Investment, in the cooperation program with Yokohama City (Japan), Da Nang has proposed contents for cooperation with Yokohama on urban underground space planning such as organizing in-depth workshops on viewing space planning, information about underground space design standards and ideas in Japan, sharing experiences in building and managing urban underground spaces, supporting experienced consulting units to participate in the process of implementing urban underground space planning.

Reporting by HOANG HIEP - Translating by A.THU