Many locations that are supposed to be used for building new bus stations are being appropriated for other uses.
According to Saigon's public transport development plan, approximately 1,146 hectares of land will be reserved for 126 transport stations until 2020. In reality, the city has only achieved 20% of this objective, with 918,28 hectares and 91 new stations to go, reports Sai Gon Giai Phong.
According to the City Department of Transportation, the shortage occurs because many locations included in the transport development plan are either being used for other purposes or integrated into urban development projects.
In District 7, Tan Thuan Port is reserved as a location for a new bus station in the transport development plan. However, according to a recent port development plan proposed by the HCMC People's Committee under the prime minister's approval, the port will be relocated soon to make way for more urban planning projects. A similar case also applies to the Waste Treatment Plant in District 12.
The inconsistency between different development plans also challenges the development of a coherent public transport infrastructure network across the city.
An area in Tam Binh, Hiep Binh Phuoc Ward in Thu Duc District is listed as a location of a new bus station in the transport development plan but in another development plan issued by the local administration, the land is reserved for tree planting along the canals. Similarly, the Saigon Railway Station in District 3 is included in the locations for new bus stations to be built, yet it is nowhere to be found in the local development map approved by the city.
As a result, many bus station projects are stalled, causing insufficient connections within the transportation network. To make things worse, the lack of parking lots for private motorcycles and cars leads to commuters having to park on pavements and roads, reducing road space and causing congestions.
The Transport Department, therefore, urges the city to prioritize the construction of public transport infrastructure. The department also invites investors to fund these bus stations projects under a public-private partnership scheme.
