LookAtVietnam – Substandard and degraded pontoon bridges are threatening residents along the Day river in Ha Noi’s suburban districts of Chuong My, Ung Hoa and Thanh Oai,

A man drives his motorbike across a pontoon bridge over the Day River. During the flood season from August to October, the bridges are a threat to people in new expanding areas.

“The 20-year-old bridge vibrates tremulously whenever people or vehicles cross it,” Tien said.

Its two ends had previously broken and collapsed, so people had to replace them with other pieces of wood so that vehicles could continue to cross the span.

When it rained, the bridge’s surface became so slippery that people easily fell down, as there were no handrails, he said.

“Many people cross the pontoon in fear, holding their breath as they step down and sighing with relief when they reach the other bank,” said Tien.

No choice

A local at Van Vo commune, Tran Thi Tuyen, admitted that she knew it was very dangerous to cross the bridge, but she had no choice if she had business in Phuong Trung commune.

In Ung Hoa district’s Ho Nam commune, Dai Hung I bridge was in a similar condition. Local residents were still haunted by the death of Nguyen Van Tu, 38, early this year.

The bridge’s owner had opened the drawbridge to allow a boat to pass through without warning the passengers on the road. Consequently, when Tu was crossing the Dai Hung I bridge in the late afternoon, he drove his motorbike into the gap and drowned in the river.

According to district police, the bridge failed to ensure road safety conditions, as it lacked lights and life buoys and its hand railing was damaged.

Le Van Lang, an officer at the district’s Industry and Trade Division, said that about two or three accidents had occurred at the local pontoon last year, but no deaths had been reported. Tu’s accident was a rare case, he added.

Recently, a man slipped on the bridge in late August, falling into the river. Luckily, he was saved by other villagers.

Although such substandard bridges threaten people’s safety, they still have to be used to cross the river. Passengers must pay VND3,000-5,000 (US$0.17-2.8) to cross the bridge.

According to Tien, most of the communes along the Day River had built a pontoon to meet local residents’ travelling demands. In Van Vo Commune, the local People’s Committee invited bids, and whoever won the bid was allowed to collect fees from passengers.

“If an accident happens, the commune People’s Committee will take responsibility and offer compensation,” Tien added.

Fees too low

However, the fees were not enough for maintaining and upgrading the bridge. On the other hand, if residents have to cross the river by boat, it is even more inconvenient and dangerous.

Residents along the Day river have been looking forward to a new cement bridge for years.

Former Ha Tay Province People’s Committee had invested VND30billion ($1.7million) to build such a bridge near Van Vo pontoon in 2006, but construction was delayed due to land clearance and compensation.

Tien said that residents, whose lands would be taken for the new bridge, were not satisfied with the compensation rates imposed by the authorities.

Also, households along different banks were offered different compensation rates.

Each square metre of land in Phuong Trung commune was offered VND500,000 ($30) in compensation, while in Van Vo Commune, there were three compensation rates.

For example, households with areas of over 400sq.m only received VND50,000 ($3) per square metre.

Residents disagreed and refused to take the compensation money. The commune approved a proposal that households losing their land would be given another area of land, Tien said.

The residents preferred this solution, so hopefully, the new firm bridge would soon be completed, so that residents of the two communes could cross the river without fear.

These cement bridges were expected to appear along other parts of the river as well.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News