In the heart of a city with cramped land and crowded people, every square meter of land is as precious as gold. However, for a long time, hundreds of thousands of households have been willing to cut off a part of their house area to expand alleys. Those donated meters of land not only make the road wider but also prove the consensus of the people to build a civilized and safe living space.
From worries about alleys to decisions for the common good
Under the bright April sun, alley 353 Tran Xuan Soan in Tan Hung ward looks very spacious with rows of flags and flowers. While pruning the pots in front of his house, Mr. Le Trung Dung smiled happily when looking at the alley that is now spacious and clean.
Recalling the old days, Mr. Dung said that this alley is very narrow, the beginning of the alley on Tran Xuan Soan street is only more than 1m wide, it is very inconvenient to travel. Vehicles are always cramped and crowded.
The biggest worry is that whenever there is something bad, fire, explosion or emergency, the large car will die and cannot enter. Patients have to carry a stretcher for a long distance to get to the car. Not to mention in the rainy season or high tide, water floods to the knees, the whole alley is submerged in garbage water, the suffering is indescribable" - Mr. Dung recalled.
When the Tan Hung ward government had a policy to mobilize to expand the alley, Mr. Dung's family immediately agreed. Although knowing that the land in the city is very valuable, he still voluntarily donated more than 10m2 to make the alley wider by 1.5m.
He confided very sincerely: "Calculating the money, the land I donated is a large amount of money, but in return, now the alley is clear, cars can go right to the door, and the most important thing is safety for the people. What I get for the community and for myself is still much more precious than what I lose." Not only donating land, he also talked and analyzed with the government so that neighbors would understand and join hands to implement it.
The consensus of the people and the government
Not only in Tan Hung ward, this spirit also spread to Tan My ward. Alley 672 Huynh Tan Phat street, which was originally a nightmare for people because it was both small and flooded, has now completely changed.
Mr. Nguyen Tran Minh Quan - Deputy Director of the Construction Investment Project Management Board of District 7 - said that the alley expansion project to 4m has replaced the entire drainage and lighting system. It is worth mentioning that although the construction plan is 90 days, thanks to the enthusiastic support of the people and the workers working urgently, the project was completed after only 68 days.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Hoa, a long-time resident here, excitedly shared: "Before, the alley was tiny, it was difficult for two motorbikes to avoid each other. Now the alley is wide and spacious, clean and beautiful, everyone is happy, traveling or trading is also much more convenient.
Mr. Phan Minh Hoang - Vice Chairman of Tan My ward - said that with the policy "The State and people work together", the ward has proactively directed, coordinated, coordinated with relevant units and mobilized people to participate. Thanks to that, the project was constructed smoothly, ensuring requirements for quality, progress and urban aesthetics.
Through this, Tan My Ward People's Committee calls on people to continue to accompany in preserving and protecting infrastructure projects, actively participate in environmental protection movements, and join hands to build civilized - safe - and compassionate residential areas.
The silent sacrifice in the heart of the city
In the central area, where "every inch of land is an inch of gold" in the true sense, the spirit of land donation is even more shining in alley 88 Co Giang, Cau Kieu ward. This 125m long alley affects 39 households, but the most precious thing is that 100% of people agree to hand over the land.
Among them, 36 households voluntarily donated land completely, the remaining 3 households have too small areas, so they are supported with compensation to stabilize their new accommodation. The total area of land donated by people is nearly 266m2. If calculated at market prices in this central ward, the value is up to more than 41 billion VND.
Ms. Tran Thu Ha - Secretary of the Party Committee, Chairwoman of the People's Council of Cau Kieu ward - shared respectfully: "In such a precious land, the fact that people are willing to cut down their house area to build a common road is a great sacrifice. This is a noble gesture that the government and the community always recognize.
Now, alley 88 Co Giang has increased from 1.5m to 4.5m wide. Fire trucks and ambulances can come to the place, helping people feel secure in living. Not only is it safe, but the value of real estate has also increased, helping the quality of life of people to be significantly improved.
The story of donating land to open alleys in Tan Hung, Tan My, and Cau Kieu wards is not simply about widening roads. It is a story about belief, about village and neighborhood affection, and the desire to build a civilized city. The walls are slightly backwards, but the affection is multiplied many times over, weaving a beautiful humanistic feature imbued with the people of Ho Chi Minh City.
