When will the "ferry-dependent" scene end?!

Along the upper reaches of the Ma River from Muong Lat commune down to Muong Ly, there are still many illegal ferry piers. Small, unsteady boats still carry people and agricultural products across the river every day, posing many potential safety risks...

People of Tai Chanh village transport forest products across the river, posing a potential safety risk.

Disadvantages of ferry trips

From the ferry terminal in Na Kha area (Muong Lat commune) to the ferry terminals of Xa Lung, Tai Chanh, Kit, Mau (Muong Ly commune), the image of swaying boats has become familiar to the people in the border area here. At the ferry terminal in Na Kha area, Muong Lat commune, people said that to get to the agricultural production area, they have to take a boat to cross the river. This happens every day. During the harvest season, it is the opposite, not only transporting people but also agricultural products. People even have to make winches to transport cassava, corn... The upper reaches of the Ma River here have many rapids and strong currents, so traveling by boat poses many potential safety risks. For the people, the dream is to invest in a suspension bridge to make crossing the river more convenient.

Similarly, at Xa Lung ferry terminal in Muong Ly commune, a passenger waiting for the ferry said: “Every day I have to take the ferry to the other side of Pa Bua to teach. On rainy days, I have to stay at the school and cannot return. I just wish there was a bridge so I could go to class with peace of mind.” According to the locals, since the Trung Son hydroelectric reservoir filled with water, many more spontaneous ferry terminals have appeared in Muong Ly commune. People pooled their money to buy vehicles, operated them themselves, and did not have professional certificates. Many ferry drivers could not read, and were not qualified to attend waterway traffic safety training courses. Because they were not licensed, most ferry terminals were not invested in infrastructure, warning signs, or life buoys. Every time the flood season comes, anxiety builds up on each trip across the river.

Continuing to be present at the ferry terminal of Tai Chanh village, Muong Ly commune, at rush hour, there were nearly 20 passengers waiting for the ferry. According to the local people, if from the center of Trung Ly commune to Co Cai, Ta Com or Canh Cong villages... only by ferry, the distance is shortened to 20km. On the contrary, going around Pa Quan and then back to Co Cai is more than 50km, the road is difficult to travel. Mr. Thao A Su, head of Ta Com village, said: People who want to go to the center or sell agricultural and forestry products must transport by river, which is very inconvenient. Not only are farmers forced to lower prices, but they also have to pay extra transportation costs. “For many years, the people of Ta Com in particular, and the 8 villages of Trung Ly and Muong Ly communes in general, have had to rely on ferries to move and transport agricultural products, facing dangers as well as “barriers” to socio -economic development. The biggest wish of the people is to have a solid and sturdy bridge to live and produce with peace of mind,” Mr. Su hoped.

Early investment in Co Cai bridge - Finance

In a recent meeting with voters, people of Trung Ly and Muong Ly communes continued to petition the Provincial People's Committee to soon invest in a bridge across the Ma River. According to the people's proposal, the bridge will connect Co Cai village (Trung Ly commune) to Tai Chanh village (Muong Ly commune) to serve traffic and trade for people in 8 villages of Muong Ly and Trung Ly communes. This is an area with bustling trading activities of agricultural products, construction materials and goods transportation. In response to the above urgent need, on April 14, 2023, the People's Committee of the old Muong Lat district sent a proposal to the Provincial People's Committee to consider investing in the Co Cai - Tai Chanh bridge project. The invested bridge will connect the entire route from Pa Quan - Co Cai - Tai Chanh - Tan Xuan village; connecting National Highway 15C with National Highway 16, creating a traffic axis between communes in the old Muong Lat district and communes in the old Van Ho district ( Son La ).

The Co Cai - Tai Chanh bridge project is identified as a key project, of strategic significance in ensuring traffic safety, reducing transportation costs, opening a new trade axis between the two provinces of Thanh Hoa - Son La. This is also a vital route serving the transportation of materials, agricultural products, developing services and community tourism in the border area. People in Muong Ly and Trung Ly communes expect that when the bridge is invested, the economic and social life of the villages on the other side of the river will change. Trade will be more convenient, production costs will be reduced, students will go to school safely, teachers in the villages will have less hardship, and medical and social activities will be accessed faster. More importantly, the wobbly ferry trips will no longer be a constant worry for thousands of households in the border area here.

Article and photos: Dinh Giang

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/bao-gio-thoi-canh-luy-do-270651.htm