“Spontaneous” but “happy and prosperous”
Not now, but in the past few months, since the Vinh Hao – Phan Thiet expressway was put into operation, the phenomenon of lack of stops and lack of toilets on the expressway has been reflected by public opinion. Vinh Hao – Phan Thiet Expressway, connecting Phan Thiet – Dau Giay Expressway, with a length of nearly 200km. However, the paradox here is that the entire highway from Vinh Hao to Dau Giay does not have a stop to address the needs of hygiene, rest… for people traveling on the highway.
Everyone knows the paradox of lacking stops on this expressway, but there is still no solution from the authorities. During the recent Lunar New Year 2024, the above paradox became even more extreme, when the flow of vehicles and people from the South to the Central and North regions increased.
Image of stairs spontaneously built by people for passengers traveling on the Vinh Hao – Phan Thiet expressway who need to go to the bathroom. Photo: Duy Pham
Faced with the need to go to the bathroom of people traveling on the highway, some roadside households have reluctantly set up “stop stations” and “zero-dong toilets” on the Vinh Hao – Phan Thiet highway (in the district). Ham Thuan Bac, Binh Thuan province).
A resident of Ham Thuan Bac district said: “Every day, I see passersby with pale faces and suffering because they have no place to urinate; so I built a “zero-dong toilet” to help them.”
The “zero-dollar sanitation” place set up by this person is not part of the expressway project, located behind an empty lot with no fence separating it from the expressway. However, the “zero-dollar sanitation” point is located behind a barbed wire fence that separates the scope of the expressway project from the residential area. Therefore, people built an iron staircase for guests to… cross the barrier to go to the bathroom.
On February 15 (the 7th day of Giap Thin Lunar New Year), the Ham Thuan Bac district government asked households to lower the stairs and close “cleaning at 0 VND”. According to Mr. Tran Ngoc Hien – Vice Chairman of the People’s Committee of Ham Thuan Bac district, Binh Thuan province, this spontaneous action is not in accordance with the law and poses a risk of traffic safety. The authorities and local authorities are responsible for propagandizing people to stop building toilets, building stairs and spontaneous rest stops to avoid bad things in the future…
On February 15, the government of Ham Thuan Bac district, Binh Thuan province asked people to lower the ladder and close the “0 dong cleaning” facility because it violated state regulations. Photo: BP
The construction of “zero-dong toilets” by honest people along the highway is “spontaneous” and not in accordance with regulations… But at least, they have helped many people solve pressing hygiene needs. minimum. That is also the job of “being blessed with happiness” – some people have the same opinion.
And, it was that “spontaneous” action that “awakened” the authorities responsible for investment, management, and operation of the highway. The question is: If you invest in building an entire highway hundreds of kilometers long, you can do it. But, building a stop (or in other words, a toilet) is so trivial, why hasn’t it been done yet?
The iron staircase was designed by people for customers to go to the “0 VND toilet” on Vinh Hao – Phan Thiet highway. Photo: Duy Pham
Supply – demand paradox
Meanwhile, the expressway has been put into operation, the need for travel, hygiene, and rest on the road for tens of thousands of people participating in traffic on the road every day is real and extremely urgent. On the Phan Thiet – Dau Giay Expressway alone, there are regarding 15,000 vehicles passing through on the main route every day (over 20,000 vehicles on weekends).
The Ministry of Transport has issued Circular No. 01/2023 to “guide the preparation, approval and announcement of project lists; methods and standards for evaluating bids and proposals in auctions.” Bid to select investors for specialized road traffic service projects – including rest stop projects.
Vinh Hao – Phan Thiet Expressway is under construction, opening up a strong future of development for the South Central coastal region of Ninh Thuan and Binh Thuan provinces. Photo: BT
Comparing with the regulations from Circular No. 01/2023, investing in building a rest stop requires establishing a new project, developing a bidding plan, selecting investors… Currently, departments The operations of the Ministry of Transport are still in the planning stage; After that, bid and build the rest stop. Therefore, the construction of rest stops on newly put into operation highways such as the Vinh Hao – Phan Thiet highway cannot be determined when it will be completed.
According to highway design standards, on average every 50 – 60km, it is necessary to arrange a rest stop providing essential services such as: gasoline, oil, minor repairs and parking, with motels and restrooms. , restaurant…
In addition to the function of serving people and vehicles participating in traffic, rest stops are places where services can be provided. Therefore, rest stops must be invested in by competent authorities in the form of socialization to save state budget.
The paradox of highway development is that there has been no investment or construction of rest stops, leading to the emergence of “zero-dong toilets” on the Vinh Hao – Phan Thiet highway. Photo: Duy Pham
According to the Ministry of Transport, due to previous legal regulations on investment, business and exploitation of rest stops being incomplete and unclear. Therefore, implementing investment in the form of socialization faces many difficulties and obstacles. Currently, the Ministry of Transport is asking departments to remove difficulties and obstacles regarding investment in rest stops in the form of socialization.
Accordingly, on the North-South Eastern Expressway, 36 stations are arranged (the average distance between stations is regarding 59km). Of these, 7 stations have been put into operation and 2 stations are under investment. The remaining 27 stations will select investors for implementation.
All uninvested rest stops will be selected for investors through transparent and clear bidding. Organizing investor selection takes 3 – 5 months. The expected time for investors to complete procedures and deploy the construction of the rest stop is 9-12 months.
Particularly, the Vinh Hao – Phan Thiet expressway is causing a stir in public opinion regarding the “stairs” and “zero-dollar cleaning” incidents, according to the Ministry of Transport, which is expected to start construction of 2 rest stops in the first quarter. /2024 and completed and put into operation in the first quarter of 2025.
People in Ham Thuan Bac district cleaned up the stairs and “0 VND toilet” on February 15, 2024. Photo: BP
The above incident shows that, in the current trend, any road traffic project (especially a highway project), the investment in building the main infrastructure of the road always goes hand in hand with investment. , build rest stops, toilets…
Mr. Nguyen Duc Thuan – Chairman of Vietnam Leather and Footwear Association (Lefaso) – has the opinion: “For businesses that process shoe products for world-famous corporations, the first thing to choose a processing partner, they Go to factories and workshops to see if Vietnamese businesses have clean toilets for workers. Therefore, do not neglect hygiene, which addresses the minimum needs of people.”
It must be admitted that the recent investment in construction and operation of a series of expressways has changed the appearance of the country. Highways have contributed to making Vietnam’s economy increasingly developed, civilized and modern.
However, the investment in highways, with the investment in rest stops and restrooms “following” the highways, still has inadequacies and paradoxes (highways increase, rest stops are rare).
For example, hundreds of kilometers of the Southern Expressway have been put into operation, but the Ministry of Transport is still in the phase of “removing difficulties and obstacles regarding investment in rest stops in the form of socialization.” ” (?).
And, the 2 new Vinh Hao – Phan Thiet expressway stops are “expected” to start construction in the first quarter of 2024, but have to wait another year, until the first quarter of 2025, the 2 new stops… “completed” (?) .
One year from now, every day, how will tens of thousands of passengers traveling on the Vinh Hao – Phan Thiet highway “solve” their hygiene needs? What a paradox upon paradox!
