Transport Industry: Making Efforts to Connect, Arouse Potential

Phu Yen's Transport sector has advised and implemented many positive solutions to promote administrative reform to create favorable conditions for people and businesses. These have contributed to enhancing the connections of potential and resources to help Phu Yen increasingly develop. Vietnam Business Forum reporter had an interview with Mr. Nguyen Phuong Dong, Director of Phu Yen Department of Transport. 

Ca Pass tunnel linking Phu Yen province and Khanh Hoa province

Could you tell us about the implementation of key tasks of the provincial transport sector in 2022?

In 2022, Phu Yen's transport sector has continued to coordinate with central ministries and sectors to promptly start construction of the Eastern North-South Expressway Project in the 2021-2025 period, the section through the province, according to the schedule. At the same time, it has focused on investing and upgrading important traffic routes such as: provincial roads according to the approved planning (DT.644; DT.648; DT.650...), roads from Bai Goc Port (South Phu Yen economic zone) connecting National Highway 1 to Van Phong Economic Zone (Khanh Hoa province).

In addition, the sector has also focused on completing the program of concreting rural roads for the period 2017 - 2020 (in mountainous communes according to Resolution 60/NQ-HDND of the Provincial People's Council).

Besides, the provincial transport sector is speeding up the development planning of a coastal road route from National Highway 1 (Mieu Ong Cop) to the extended Doc Lap - Le Duan junction; at the same time, mobilizing resources to upgrade and effectively exploit Vung Ro Port; attracting investments in Bai Goc deep-water port and logistics infrastructure; inland wharf; and researching and developing a number of coastal routes serving waterway tourism and cargo transportation.

In addition, it has continued to mobilize resources on upgrading and expanding passenger terminals; preparing conditions for international flights; adjusting the detailed planning of Tuy Hoa Airport with a capacity of 5 million passenger arrivals/year.

According to you, how ready is the development of transport infrastructure in the province to connect potentials and advantages, and meet the needs of people, businesses and investors?

Up to now, Phu Yen's transportation network has been basically fully developed and diversified by road, rail, inland waterways, sea and aviation.

Specifically, the road system is basically invested and upgraded smoothly between industrial parks and urban areas; connecting North - South, East - West between areas in the province and the region. In particular, Phu Yen has coordinated to deploy and put into use Deo Ca Tunnel, Cu Mong Pass Tunnel and upgrade and expand National Highway 1 connecting with the two provinces of Khanh Hoa and Binh Dinh to create regional links and promote marine economic development.

In particular, in the coming period, the Phu Yen - Tay Nguyen expressway, the road from Bai Goc Port connecting National Highway 1 to Van Phong economic zone will be deployed, which will create conditions to promote socio-economic development of the province, the South Central Coast and the Central Highlands, contributing to the formation of the Van Phong - Bai Goc port cluster, a "main lane" to the South China Sea of the Central Highlands.

Additionally, Phu Yen has 95km of railway through 8 stations, 120 crossing points with the road.

Regarding aviation, the civil aviation zone of Tuy Hoa Airport with a capacity of more than 550,000 passenger arrivals/year has been invested and exploited since 2013, serving 2 routes of Tuy Hoa - Ho Chi Minh City; Tuy Hoa - Hanoi. Over the years, the province has upgraded and renovated it to serve the expansion of international routes.

By sea, Phu Yen has a coastline of 189km, Vung Ro Port connects and links with many important traffic routes connecting the West, South Central provinces, Northeast Cambodia and Southern Laos; at the same time, being close to international shipping lanes, Phu Yen has increasingly shaped its role as a "gateway" to the East Sea.

In addition, the Provincial People's Committee has now approved the Plan to develop temporary inland waterway infrastructure in Phu Yen province, as a basis to call for investment in developing the inland waterway transport network in the province.

In the medium-term public investment plan for the 2021 - 2025 period, the Ministry of Transport has balanced VND 4,905 billion to complete 3 transitional projects from the previous phase and start 3 new projects in Phu Yen province. In your opinion, how does the arrangement of this capital meet the requirements of traffic infrastructure development in the area?

Previously, the Department of Transport repeatedly advised the Provincial People's Committee and the National Assembly delegation to propose the Government and the Ministry of Transport soon consider investing in the following routes: National Highway 19C, the bypass through La Hai town, Dong Xuan district, the remaining section of National Highway 25 and National Highway 29 passing through the province, according to the approved planning.

Therefore, the fact that Ministry of Transport has balanced VND 4,905 billion to complete 3 transition projects from the previous phase (National Highway 25, essential railway works in Vinh - Nha Trang section and weak bridge improvement and reinforcement of anti-collision pillars on the Thong Nhat railway line) and start construction of 3 new projects (the Eastern North-South expressway with Quy Nhon - Chi Thanh and Chi Thanh - Van Phong sections; renovating and upgrading the Vinh - Nha Trang railway section) in the province is in line with the goals and requirements of Phu Yen's transport infrastructure development in the current period.

How do you evaluate the quality and effectiveness of administrative reform in the transport sector in recent years?

Over the years, the Department has always paid attention to the application of information technology, associated with administrative reform, improving the quality and efficiency of services such as: granting and changing driver's licenses; taxi badges, signs of tourist transporting cars.

In addition, in order to promote administrative reform, contribute to building e-government, and gradually build a digital government, the Department has registered 100% of administrative procedures to solve at levels 3 and 4 on the National Public Service Portal, the provincial portal and receive and return the results at the Provincial Public Administration Service Center; implementing online payment (banks, post offices) of fees and charges and returning results of administrative procedures electronically, via public postal services. As a result, the Department received and resolved administrative procedures on time and 18,711 records before the deadline, which were highly appreciated by people and businesses.

In the coming time, the Department will continue to carry out tasks to improve the quality of administrative reform and better serve the needs of people and businesses, such as:

- Consolidating the organizational apparatus; modernizing the administrative system, promoting the application of information technology, strengthening administrative discipline to ensure smooth and effective management and administration

- Continuing to review and propose to reduce and simplify administrative procedures; effectively using the National Public Service Portal, and that of ministries and provinces; innovating to improve the efficiency of implementing the one-stop-shop, inter-agency one-stop shop mechanisms

- Digitizing the results of administrative settlement according to the plan

- Improving and maintaining the application of the quality management system according to ISO 9001:2015

- Regularly training and improving the qualifications of cadres, civil servants and public employees of transport management in the province

Thank you very much!

Ngo Khuyen(Vietnam Business Forum)