VietNamNet Bridge – Ha Noi's construction department has proposed a five-year, VND3.3 trillion (US$165 million) beautification plan to the municipal People's Committee.

Workers bury underground electrical and telecommunications cables on Le Van Luong Street in Thanh Xuan District in Ha Noi. The municipal authority is considering a US$165 million plan to beautify the city. (Photo: VNS)

Most of the planned projects would involve improving water drainage and lighting systems, upgrading road surfaces and burying electricity and telecommunications cables.

The first phase would begin next year involving 40 projects costing approximately VND602 billion ($30.1 million). The most costly project, estimated to cost VND70 billion ($3.5 million) is to bury electrical and telecommunications cables on Tran Khat Chan Street.

Each district and town in the city would have at least one project.

The city would also invest money to upgrade squares, parks and flower-gardens including Van Bao, Dam Trau, Bac Co, Tao Dan, Co Tan and Thong Nhat Park, Hung said.

Another 100 projects will be carried out as part of the next phase from 2012-2015, expected to cost more than VND2 trillion ($100 million).

The plan is expected to be approved this week.

In 2010, the city carried out 69 renovation projects on the occasion of its 1,000th anniversary. However, the implementation of so many projects in such a short period of time was criticised by many Hanoians for turning the city into a giant construction site for the first 10 months of the year prior to the grand ceremony in October.

Reports from the Department of Construction also showed that a remarkable number of projects had not been finished on time, and some of those that did not meet sufficient standards. This was largely due to contractor failings and the complexity of the work.

The committee's vice chairman Vu Hong Khanh urged more co-operation between relevant sectors to facilitate the projects.

Another vice chairman Phi Thai Binh said the municipal authority would also clarify in more detail the responsibilities of relevant sectors as well as focus more care on work in suburban areas.

Architect Phan Duy Dong, director of ATEK Company, a member of Viet Nam Investment, Consultation and Construction Design Join Stock Company, said that some projects to celebrate the city's anniversary had only yielded temporary results and the work was haphazard at best, for example the recovering of pavements.

"The projects only make the city look smarter if they are planned and prepared well in terms of finances, management and construction," he said.

However, he emphasised that authorities need to seriously evaluate the quality of work carried out by constructors and their subcontractors.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News