A 20 billion VND market wasted.

Built on prime land with a total investment of 20 billion VND, Quang Thanh Market in Quang Thanh Ward, Thanh Hoa City, was expected to contribute to the development of services, trade, and socio -economic activities in the locality. However, after 5 years of operation, the market is now completely abandoned, resulting in a waste of money and land resources.

Quang Thanh Market is abandoned due to a lack of buyers and sellers. Photo: Nguyen Chung.

Quang Thanh Market is one of the large-scale markets built in Thanh Hoa City, covering an area of ​​1.05 hectares with a total investment of over 20 billion VND. Its facade faces northeast, bordering Vo Nguyen Giap Boulevard. In 2019, when the market was built, the local people and authorities were very happy and hopeful that the modern market would attract small traders to conduct business in an orderly manner and also attract traders from neighboring communes such as Quang Minh, Quang Cat, and Quang Dinh (Quang Xuong district) to do wholesale. The market was expected to contribute significantly to changing the socio-economic face of the locality. However, contrary to expectations, after 5 years of operation, the market is now deserted, with no stalls or traders present.

At the main entrance of Quang Thanh Market, only one agricultural supplies store is operating. Along its entire 100-meter frontage, the authorities and the investor have erected a wire mesh fence to prevent livestock from entering and causing damage.

According to many locals, the main reason the market is currently abandoned is that its planned location is far from residential areas, contrary to the commute of workers at the Le Mon Industrial Zone. In addition, people have long been accustomed to buying and selling at makeshift stalls and roadside markets.

Mr. Le Van Tien, a resident of Thanh Trang neighborhood, Quang Thanh ward, said: "After it opened, the market was bustling for a while thanks to the government's efforts in promoting and raising awareness. But later, because people stopped buying and selling at the market, even those who had rented stalls gradually had to close down."

“Not only me, but the people in the ward have high hopes that Quang Thanh Market will operate effectively. This will not only help the locality create jobs for people, but also develop the trading services here. An abandoned market not only wastes investment funds but also wastes state land resources,” said Mr. Tien.

Ms. Do Thi Trang, Chairwoman of the Quang Thanh Ward People's Committee, stated: The Quang Thanh Market was leased to Construction and Road Construction Company No. 5 by the Thanh Hoa Provincial People's Committee for the purpose of market construction, according to Decision No. 1563 dated May 2, 2018. Accordingly, Construction and Road Construction Company No. 5 leased 8,877.3 square meters for a period of 50 years. The project scale involves the construction of a Class II market with 380 business stalls, including the following components: a one-story main market building; a three-story administrative building; kiosk areas; and other technical infrastructure and supporting facilities.

After its construction, the People's Committee of the ward had high expectations for the Quang Thanh market project. This is the only market that the locality has successfully attracted investment from businesses to build. To ensure the market can operate, the People's Committee has implemented several solutions, such as eliminating the long-standing informal markets in the neighborhoods; and promoting and encouraging traders and residents to conduct business in the market.

“Despite the authorities using every possible measure to ‘save’ the market, no one has come to operate there yet. Given this situation, we have also requested the investor to find a solution as soon as possible. If it is possible to bring the market back into operation, there must be a solution, or perhaps a conversion to a different investment model to avoid wasting land and investment resources… However, even the option of changing the land use purpose is almost impossible due to numerous regulations and legal procedures,” Ms. Trang said.

Source: https://daidoanket.vn/lang-phi-ngoi-cho-20-ty-dong-10295000.html