An inauguration ceremony held last Saturday by Ha Noi People’s Committee and Japan International Co-operation Agency kicked off the construction of 18 new pedestrian bridges.

People use a pedestrian bridge to cross Nguyen Van Cu street in Ha Noi’s Long Bien district. Another 18 such bridges will be completed next year in the capital.

The Viet Nam Machinery Installation Corporation will be responsible for building 10 bridges, and the Construction Machinery Corporation will bid for the rest.

Vice chairman of Ha Noi People’s Committee Nguyen Van Khoi said: “This is one of the efforts to increase safety for pedestrians and help improve the traffic situation in the city.”

At the ceremony, Khoi asked the project management board, bidders and other functional departments to create favourable conditions for speedy construction. It is the hope that all bridges will be completed before October next year, when the celebration of the 1,000th year anniversary of Thang Long-Ha Noi gets to its peak.

Bridges will be built in the streets of Chua Boc, Lang Ha, Giang Vo, Tran Duy Hung, Nguyen Chi Thanh, Lieu Giai, Tay Son, Nguyen Trai, Hoang Quoc Viet, Xuan Thuy, Tran Khat Chan, Giai Phong, Thai Ha and Ngoc Hoi, where the traffic is the heaviest.

On the same day, another pedestrian bridge over Thay Tieu Canal in Phu My Hung new urban area in HCM City had its construction kick off ceremony.

The 170m-bridge, estimated to cost VND50 billion ($2.7 million), is expected be completed in early 2010.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News