Expectations for a new urban area in Ta Rut

Formerly the center of the southern cluster of communes in Dakrong district, Ta Rut commune possesses outstanding potential for comprehensive socio-economic development. Located on the Ho Chi Minh Highway and near the La Lay International Border Gate – a trading hub that has become increasingly vibrant in recent years – Ta Rut is undergoing a strong transformation, rising to become a new driving force for development in the southwestern mountainous region of Quang Tri province.

Small-scale handicraft industries are developing in Ta Rut commune - Photo: KAN SUONG

In order to concretize the development orientation according to the Quang Tri Provincial Planning for the period 2021 - 2030, with a vision to 2050, the Provincial People's Council issued Resolution No. 86/2024/NQ-HĐND dated October 25, 2024, giving opinions on the General Planning Project for the new Ta Rut urban area, Dakrong district, until 2045 (Resolution No. 86).

This is a crucial foundation for developing Ta Rut into a type V urban area, with multi-sectoral and multi-field development, playing a central role in economic and cultural linkages between countries in the Greater Mekong Subregion, especially through the La Lay international border gate.

Accordingly, the Ta Rut urban area will be developed to meet the criteria of a type V urban area, with a scale of 1,416 hectares, a synchronous and modern technical and social infrastructure system, consistent with the local cultural identity, and adaptable to climate change; forming a service, trade, industrial, and logistics center linked to the La Lay International Border Gate. The planning project serves as the basis for developing the urban development program, detailed planning, and construction investment projects.

The planned urban area of ​​Ta Rut also aims for multi-sectoral development, including: industry, handicrafts - traditional villages - logistics, trade - services - tourism , agriculture - forestry...; it will be one of the centers for economic and cultural exchange between countries in the Greater Mekong Subregion via the La Lay International Border Gate; and it holds an important position in border defense and security. The population is projected to reach approximately 18,970 people by 2045.

In terms of urban development, Ta Rut is planned to become a center for services, trade, industry, and logistics, linked to the La Lay International Border Gate and connected to My Thuy Port based on the transportation system of National Highway 15D and the Ho Chi Minh Highway (Western branch).

Regarding trade and services, the plan includes establishing an international financial and trade center, trade fairs, and trading floors in the central area adjacent to the Ho Chi Minh Highway; building a central market with a development orientation towards becoming a wholesale market, prioritizing the development of supermarkets and shopping centers to meet the demand for goods supply on both sides of the border; and developing commercial and service points in urban areas to ensure the daily essential needs of the people.

Regarding tourism, the goal is to develop the Ta Rut - La Lay area into an attractive destination for relaxation and shopping between Laos and Vietnam. Ecotourism and resort tourism should be developed to exploit the natural landscape of the area. Outdoor ecotourism, exploration, and experiential tourism should be developed in special-use forests with rich and diverse vegetation, such as the Dakrong Nature Reserve. Community-based tourism should be developed, focusing on the tangible and intangible cultural heritage of the Van Kieu and Pa Ko ethnic groups; restoring, preserving, and promoting traditional gong festivals, musical instruments, and cuisine.

Regarding industry, handicrafts, and logistics: develop multi-sectoral industries and handicrafts, prioritizing the development of packaging, agricultural product processing, component manufacturing, electronic assembly, and garment manufacturing... linked to import and export through Laos and Thailand, focusing on development towards modern technology; for traditional craft villages, prioritize the development of local industries such as fine art woodworking, food processing, and medicinal herbs... industrial production facilities and craft villages should focus on integrated, multi-functional, and sustainable development. Develop a logistics service area, connecting the commercial and industrial centers.

Regarding agriculture and forestry, developing small-scale cultivated areas in the region requires the establishment of concentrated agricultural zones of appropriate scale to the type of production and local conditions. It is planned to expand the cultivated area on a small scale, extending westward along the Dakrong River, utilizing the riverside land to develop high-yield rice paddies, ensuring the food security of the people.

Prioritize brand building, geographical indications for production areas, and cultivation areas for the effective development of native crops. Aim to reduce the area of ​​natural planted forests to allocate land for urban development, organize production in a linked chain across the region with neighboring growing areas to create concentrated raw material zones and ensure stable product output, and establish a production system according to sustainable forest management standards (FSC forest certification standards) and organic production standards to meet global trends and demands for products with clear origins and environmental friendliness.

The Ta Rut new urban area, planned until 2045, will develop according to functional zones including: urban administrative center; urban functional area; commercial and service center; industrial, handicraft, traditional village, and logistics zone; and agricultural development area combined with ecotourism.

The development plan focuses on public service facilities such as: urban administrative centers, community centers; national standard medical centers; educational and training facilities, cultural centers, sports centers, and infrastructure projects including electricity, roads, schools, and health stations...

Since the completion of the Ho Chi Minh Highway and the La Lay International Border Gate becoming a strategic export point, the Ta Rut area has undergone a remarkable transformation.

With the urban development plan for Ta Rut approved by the Provincial People's Council, the local people are hopeful for a bright future: Ta Rut will be a dynamic, bustling urban center developing in multiple sectors and fields; a connecting point for economic and cultural exchange between regions within the country and internationally, playing a driving role in promoting sustainable development for the entire southwestern mountainous region of the province.

Tran Anh Minh

Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/ky-vong-ve-mot-do-thi-moi-ta-rut-193928.htm