The Da Nang People’s Committee (PC) and the Viet Nam branch of the World Bank (WB) recently held a meeting to review the city’s implementation of its Priority Infrastructure Investment Project.  Present at the event were the municipal PC Chairman, Mr Van Huu Chien, and the Director of the WB in Viet Nam, Ms Keiko Sato.

The project ran between 25 November 2008 and 30 June 2013.  It involved an estimated 218.471 million USD, and the funding came from the World Bank’s ODA capital and the city’s budget. 

The project was divided into 4 phases.  These were: (A) upgrading the infrastructure where low-income earners live and in resettlement areas, plus offering loans for house repairs; (B) improving the environmental infrastructure; (C) building bridges and roads; and (D) enhancing the capacity for effective project implementation. 

Construction of drainage system on Ong Ich Khiem and Hoang Hoa Tham streets

Over the past 5 years, Phase A has focused on upgrading the infrastructure in 13 low-income residential areas, building 30km of asphalt and concrete roads, and installing 33.3km of power transmission lines, 565 lighting sets, 41.4 km of water supply systems, and 32.5km of drainage trenches.  In addition, community cultural houses, kindergartens and markets were built in some local residential areas.

Phase B featured improving the environment of the Phu Loc River, dealing with environmental pollution to improve the quality of life of local residents, upgrading some existing drainage systems and building new ones, and constructing the Hoa Xuan waste water treatment plant to reduce capacity overload at the Hoa Cuong plant.

Phase C consisted of the construction of the Nguyen Tri Phuong and Khue Dong bridges and Vo Chi Cong Street, and the expansion of urban space on the southern side of the city.

Finally, Phase D involved the organisation of 24 specialised training courses for over 400 officials and employees from 20 local departments and agencies.  The courses aimed to increase the capacity of management and improve international tendering.