The foundation of modern urban
Since provincial re-establishment day (1-1-1997), Binh Duong province has grown rapidly and achieved great achievements in many areas, like: manufacture, education, health, infrastructure... The province has developed successfully an education system from high school to vocational education with schools meeting international standards, such as: Viet Anh school, Petrus Ky, Nguyen Khuyen, Ngo Thoi Nhiem, Vietnam - Singapore vocational colleges, Vietnam - Korea, Eastern International University, Vietnam Germany University, Thu Dau Mot University, and so on. On health sector, public healthcare system has been developed comprehensively. Pubic hospitals, like: 1,500-sickbed General Hospital, Nursing and Rehabilitation Hospital, Children's Hospital, Eastern International Hospital, have been under construction, and international hospitals, like: Hanh Phuc Hospital, Columbia Asia Hospital…, have operated efficiently. Regarding trade - service, supermarkets, large commercial centers have been invested, like: Co.opmart Supermarkets, Big C, Metro, Lotte Mart, Aeon Mall...
In addition, technical infrastructure has been completed, namely, clean water supply system comprising large factories: Di An 1 and 2 water plant, Urban Complex 1 and 2 water plant, Thu Dau Mot water plant, etc. having with a total capacity of over 300,000m3/day, serving over 70% of households and businesses across the province; South Thu Dau Mot sewage collecting and processing system with first-phase capacity of 17.000m3/day; urban drainage system. Especially, South Binh Duong waste and solid waste processing plant processed successfully Compose fertilizer to serve needs agricultural production’s needs.
Regarding new rural development, the province has now 11 communes achieving 19/19 new rural criteria, 20 communes achieving over 85% criteria of new rural road development. In 2014, Department of Transport proposed the master plan for transportation until 2020 towards 2030, orienting towards connecting provincial traffic system with national system to ensure the continuity and coherence. Some main projects are My Phuoc - Tan Van route linked with Highway 1, Song Than crossover, Highway 13 expansion, DT743A road.
Breakthrough rise
Binh Duong province has been flexible in choosing the path of urban development to make breakthrough decisions to correspond to local characteristics as well as utilize national transportation system…
Japanese experts described the project of urban development focusing on public transportation as following: Suoi Tien bus station will be the northeast terminus of the urban railway No. 1 (MRT1) Ben Thanh - Suoi Tien , and also the terminus of BRT route. The new 16-ha Eastern Bus Station will be the most crowded place connecting 1 city with 2 provinces. The application of bus rapid transit (BRT) and transit-oriented development (TOD) is expected to make a change in modes of transport, preventing congestion by limiting personal vehicles and increasing demand for public transportation.
A same project has been implemented successfully at Curitiba city since 1972 by Brazil. For the project implementation in Binh Duong province, a total investment was estimated at over VND3,500 billion. This is a huge challenge for the local budget. However, this problem may be solved by reasonable reorganization of urban functions, then the 16-hectare Eastern Bus Station and many areas could open up opportunities for real estate development. This will help not only to develop rapid population along the route and create more jobs but also bring the province huge tax revenues coming from efficient transition from industry - services - urban to urban – services in Thuan An and Di An town.
Breakthrough moves in transportation design and urban planning with urban development focusing on public transportation could at the same time solve many pressing issues, such as: investment capital, changes in modes of transport, congestion and traffic accidents decrease, building a civilized, modern urban center.
Reported by D.Chi - Translated by Ngoc Huynh