Infrastructure has not met demand
In mid-2014, the Prime Minister decided to upgrade La Lay Border Gate (Quang Tri) to an international border gate. According to the detailed plan issued by the People's Committee of Quang Tri province in September 2014, the border gate area has been invested with nearly VND 2,520 billion on an area of nearly 50 hectares. Of which, more than VND 889 billion is for overall infrastructure, the rest is the cost of construction of key projects. However, according to the Quang Tri Economic Zone Management Board, only more than 200 billion VND will be invested by early 2025.
In the period of 2021 - 2025, Quang Tri is implementing the Project of leveling and building essential infrastructure phase 2 with a budget of 163 billion VND, to complete items such as import-export waiting areas, connecting traffic routes, etc. At the same time, the province also calls on businesses to invest in items such as transportation infrastructure, warehouses, and service facilities. However, investment has not kept up with the pace of import-export development, mainly coal from Laos to Vietnam.
Currently, every peak day, La Lay border gate welcomes up to 12,000 tons of imported coal, equivalent to 500 heavy-duty vehicles. However, the main route of National Highway 15D connecting the border gate to the inland center has seriously degraded. Some sections are being expanded but cannot meet actual needs. The narrow, cracked road surface and potholes make travel difficult, posing many potential traffic risks.
Heavy trucks traveling on the narrow road cause coal dust, causing severe impacts on people on both sides of the road.
In A Rong village, A Ngo commune, A Rong Tren Kindergarten, located right next to National Highway 15D, is covered with coal dust every day. Teacher Ho Thi Lai said: "In the morning, the classroom is cleared at noon, and in the afternoon, there is still a lot of black dust. Every weekend, there are two days off, the classroom becomes a place to store coal, have to spray water and clean it to teach".
At La Lay School (A Ngo Primary and Secondary School), the situation did not improve. Ms. Nguyen Thi Giao Linh - a resident living along National Highway 15D - was upset: " morning and night, house cleaning is already dark. Opening the door is eating dust. When it is sunny, the coal dust is everywhere, and when it rains, the road is muddy like mud.
Pollution and fine dust due to coal transportation activities have not been completely resolved. Along National Highway 15D, the scene of large trucks lining up every evening is no longer strange. In particular, after the rain, the road surface is covered with mud, while on sunny days it becomes a toxic layer of fine dust.
Investing in infrastructure to solve many problems at the root
The potential for coal imports from Laos to Vietnam through La Lay International Border Gate is huge, possibly reaching 500 million tons within the next 50 years.
Mr. Hoang Nam Giang - representative of Nam Tien Co., Ltd., a coal transportation unit through the border gate, said that if the infrastructure is not properly invested, the transportation of coal from Laos will be very difficult. Mr. Giang is for example, the 15D National Highway from the border gate is too narrow and badly damaged, leading to the situation when the car carrying coal will cause dust. Although trying to overcome by covering the canvas, watering periodically, it still seriously affects the lives of the people. "The important thing is to upgrade the transport infrastructure to solve the root," Mr. Giang said.
Mr. Ho Tat Huan - Chairman of People's Committee of A Ngo commune - said that the situation of coal dust and traffic safety through the commune was carried by coal cars from the border gate for several years. The commune has proposed many times but has not been resolved completely. The biggest desire is that all levels take measures to minimize pollution and ensure safety for people.
