When the Hydropower project is completed, the Expert area will be handed over to Hoa Binh province for management. Up to now, the expert area is under the management of Hoa Binh Housing Development and Construction Investment Joint Stock Company.
Those who have lived in the Experts' area, those who have witnessed this place changing every day, cannot help but feel sad when looking back. Memories of a glorious time are still intact in their minds.
Mr. Dao Van Thuy - who has been attached to the Expert area since 1986 recalled: "At that time, this place appeared as a perfect painting of the combination of Russian architecture and Eastern culture.
The rows of houses are planned synchronously and in sophisticated style with a system of spacious windows to welcome the wind, comfortable furniture, bathrooms, bedrooms, and kitchens designed meticulously, creating a living space that is both modern and cozy. In particular, the electricity, water, social infrastructure and auxiliary services are all scientifically built, bringing a full and convenient life".
The living space here is not only convenient but also green, cool and fresh. The shaded phoenix shops, small parks lining the houses, basketball courts, badminton courts, children's playgrounds, art paintings... all create an ideal complex, a rare livable place.
Residents of the Experts' area - officers and workers of the Da River have enjoyed a life full of intellectuals and civilization, where every road, every street corner reminds them of a prosperous period.
There are people who, even though they are far away, still return often, as if to seek a part of the memories that have passed away. Seeing old houses, old trees, listening to the sound of time receding from the mossy walls, I felt a mysterious sadness. It seems that in every brick, every gate, there are still memories that have not yet faded.
Over the past decades, residential areas have been seriously degraded. People have to struggle to adapt to increasingly degraded infrastructure, shabby landscapes and cramped living spaces.
Many generations have been born and raised here, but not everyone has the opportunity to leave. Families like Mr. Thuy are facing serious deterioration of their housing areas. The walls are peeling, the drainage system is clogged, the wastewater leaks, giving off a foul smell. Many households have to renovate and expand their living space, despite the increasingly common encroachment.
"For many reasons, apartments like this are still crowded with people, mainly low-income people and newlyweds... There are many speculations that the Specialist area will have to be relocated, but up to now, the households of more than 30 houses are still living and living normally. However, all households want to be granted legal ownership documents at a reasonable price to stabilize their lives," Mr. Thuy added.
Currently, there is still no specific solution, the Experts' area is still immersed in ruins, like a part of the old memories of a golden age that has passed.
Mr. Dinh Anh Hoang - Chairman of Huu Nghi Ward People's Committee said that the devastation caused by time has seriously degraded the Expert area. Public infrastructure was almost completely damaged. However, the Specialist housing area is not currently subject to emergency relocation.
Currently, the Expert area is under the management of Hoa Binh Housing and Construction Development Investment Joint Stock Company. All apartment transactions are essentially just a transfer of a rental contract. This has led to many problems in management, and there are still many shortcomings that need to be resolved, Mr. Hoang informed.
No matter how glorious the past is, the future of the Experts' Association is still an open question. There are restoration projects and development plans that have been proposed, but it does not seem strong enough to bring this place back to its glory.
Without due attention from management levels, without efforts to restore both infrastructure and spirit, the Expert Zone may forever sink into the shadow of an aging symbol.
Amidst the ruins, there is still hope. Those who love this place still believe that, as long as there is a right investment, the Expert area can be completely reborn. Because the values that once made a model urban area, harmony in design, cool green landscape, civilized community, are still there, waiting for an opportunity to shine again.
The Experts' Area, with all its ups and downs, is not only a living space but also a part of collective memories, a symbol of a golden age that has now receded. Those who have been attached to this place always carry in themselves a memory, a nostalgia for the beautiful days.
Although the present has changed, although the future is still uncertain, the Expert Zone will always be an indelible mark in the hearts of those who have loved and attached to it.
