From 2010 to 2014, the southern province of Dong Thap built and upgraded over 634 kilometres of rural roads, built 511 rural bridges totaling 18,654 metres in length and 1,132 metres of drains of different kinds, all at a total cost of over VND2 trillion with all of the construction costs contributed by the local residents.

A rural bridge built with nearly VND500 million from people (Photo: baogiaothong.vn)

So far, automobiles can reach the centre of all communities while the infrastructure reaching from the centres to the ferry landing of the isle region has facilitated transport of goods and made people’s travel easier.

According to Nguyen Van Cong, Director of the provincial Department of Transport, the roads and bridges built and put into use have created a system linking districts with the national roads and Cambodia; large economic centres with industrial zones in the province, thus satisfying the target of economic development in border gate areas in particular and promoting rapid and sustainable socio-economic development in the province in general.

Meanwhile, Tong Thanh Mai, President of the Sa Dec city Bridge and Road Association, said that the movement in building rural roads and bridges had received great support from the people. Many were willing to donate land, money and working days to the movement. “Whenever a movement is kicked off, thousands of people immediately respond to it,” she said.

Some were ready to donate all of their earnings. Notably, Phan Van Khi’s family in Binh Linh village, Binh Thanh commune, Cao Lanh district lives on one hectare of garden. However, in 2013, knowing that the commune prepared to build roads going through his family’s garden, he volunteered to donate 2,445 square metres of the garden with over 100 high value fruit trees, to the building, pledging that he would continue to donate land for rural building in the upcoming time, said Ngo Thinh Duc, President of the Vietnam Bridge and Road Association./.

( Compiled by VNF )