Thanh An commune on the way to achieving class V urban status

Thanh An commune in Cam Lo district is traversed by the Trans-Asian Highway, connecting countries along the East-West Economic Corridor with Cua Viet port. It also benefits from the North-South connection via National Highway 1, facilitating trade with other localities nationwide. Furthermore, Thanh An commune has an intersection between the Trans-Asian Highway and National Highway 1, and its center is approximately 7 km from the Quang Tri Airport project currently underway, making it ideal for the development of warehousing and logistics services.

Thanh An commune is on its way to achieving Type V urban status.

The Tuoi Hoa Kindergarten in Thanh An commune has been completed and put into use - Photo: MT

It must be affirmed that the plan to upgrade Thanh An commune to a type V urban area by 2025 reflects the long-term strategic vision of the locality. Thanh An is also a suburban commune, the northern gateway to Dong Ha city, thus possessing favorable conditions for developing various industries and expanding production, business, and service sectors. Several key urban development zones have been planned in the area and are currently undergoing infrastructure investment to attract investment. Nga Tu Song Market has been upgraded, its scale of business is expanding, and the variety of goods is diverse, meeting the trading and consumption needs of the people.

According to Tran Van Nam, Chairman of the People's Committee of Thanh An commune, in recent times, the locality has focused on doing a good job of planning and mobilizing people's consensus to clear land for infrastructure investment and opening new concentrated residential areas. This is especially true for areas with potential and advantages such as: Bau Da area, Truc Kinh lake, along Hoi Song, Trang Sim, Con Dong, Pho Lai, Bau Ao area, Bau Mieu...; creating a favorable environment, attracting cooperation and investment in infrastructure construction, entertainment areas, green spaces, and creating land for the development of ecological services, food and beverage, and resort facilities...

The locality has focused on exploiting the advantages of the suburban area and the expanding urban space from Dong Ha city, leveraging strengths in areas such as Song Crossroads, along National Highway 1, National Highway 9, the approach road to the Hieu River bridge, and Thanh Nien Street... It encourages and mobilizes the people to actively develop various industries and expand types of production, business, and services such as: trading consumer goods for daily life, car sales, mini-supermarkets, restaurants, warehouses for goods and construction materials...; developing passenger and goods transportation services, processing and purchasing agricultural products, and trading various goods to meet market demands. In addition, Military Hospital 268 is being built in the central area of the commune, creating conditions to improve the commune's health indicators and contributing to the accelerated development of supporting service industries.

The goal of developing Thanh An commune into a type V urban area by 2025 has been included in the resolutions of the district and commune Party congresses, and will be implemented during the 2020-2025 period. This is also one of the conditions for prioritizing budget investment to develop infrastructure and attract investment.

In a conversation with us, Mr. Tran Van Nam expressed the local government's determination to achieve Type V urban status by 2025, emphasizing: "This is the determination of the people and officials of Thanh An commune. We have determined that we will complete the easier standards first, and strive to complete the more difficult ones later. We will continue to maintain and improve the quality of the 31 standards already achieved, prioritizing the early completion of the easily achievable standards, especially the important ones, ensuring we achieve 75 out of 75 points according to the prescribed standards."

Currently, through investigation and assessment of urban standards for type V, Thanh An commune has met 31 out of 50 standards. Based on the nature and feasibility of fulfilling the standards, Thanh An commune has divided them into groups: easily achievable standards (planning, social infrastructure, lighting, environmental landscape, etc.), achievable standards (transportation, technical infrastructure, etc.), and difficult standards (population density, budget balance, etc.). Based on these criteria, a specific implementation plan has been developed.

After the project was approved and widely publicized so that officials, Party members, and the people understood its significance and importance for the development of the area and social life, the Thanh An Commune Party Committee developed a plan and action program as a basis for the Commune People's Council and People's Committee to implement it. The entire political system is responsible for disseminating information about the purpose and significance of organizing the implementation of the Type V urban area project so that the entire population agrees with and supports it and participates in social programs to develop socio-economic activities.

Solutions regarding planning and infrastructure investment for residential, commercial, and service development: will closely adhere to the approved district-level regional plan, implementing the preparation of detailed construction plans at a scale of 1/500 for key areas to shift the economic structure, increase the proportion of non-agricultural labor, increase population density, and raise the density of housing construction... to meet the housing and population density standards of a type V urban area.

Furthermore, the plan includes mobilizing the people to clear land and invest in completing infrastructure in some residential areas to increase budget revenue, increase population density, and increase construction area. It also supports investment to develop a business area for Lao and Thai goods along National Highway 1, creating a rest stop on the North-South route, increasing the value of trade and services, and improving people's income. The plan also involves expanding and upgrading the Nga Tu Song market to a Class I market, becoming a wholesale market to meet the trading and consumption needs of people in the region.

Regarding investment in social infrastructure, support will be provided for the completion and commissioning of Military Hospital 268 to improve the capacity for medical examination and treatment for the people. The Thanh An commune health station will be upgraded and expanded to meet the standard of 2.5 beds per 1,000 people.

However, on its path to achieving Type V urban status, Thanh An commune faces several challenging criteria related to funding and budget balance. In an interview, the Chairman of the Cam Lo District People's Committee, Tran Anh Tuan, stated: “This is a common difficulty for localities in the district, but with the determination of the people and officials of Thanh An commune, Cam Lo district will always stand by, resolve obstacles, and create the best possible conditions for Thanh An commune to achieve Type V urban status in 2025.”

Minh Anh

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