More than 700 households in three villages in Yang Tao Commune, Đắk Lắk Province must cross the Đắk Pok River to reach their fields, as the region lacks bridges. — Photo tapchigiaothong.vn

CENTRAL HIGHLANDS – More than 700 households in three villages in Yang Tao Commune, Đắk Lắk Province must cross the Đắk Pok River to reach their fields, as the region lacks bridges.

The river is 7km in length and about 10m in width. In the  rainy season, the water level is about two metres, threatening the lives of the farmers who must cross it. Harvest season coincides with the wet season, so travelling and transporting farm products is dangerous and difficult.

Y Nam The lives in Cuôr Tắk Village and has more than 2,000sq.m of rice field located about 200 metres from the river. In the high water season, he must hire 10 people to harvest and take the rice across the river.

Ma Táo, another resident, said that several years ago, strong water swept away two children in the village.

“Local residents used big trees to make temporarily bridges, but the bridges are quickly swept away,” he said.

Y Khương H’long, deputy chairman of the Yang Tao Commune People’s Committee, said that during meetings in the area, local residents proposed to set up bridges for the sake of their lives and their livelihoods.

In Gia Lai Province, the Trà Tập Bridge connects Nam Yang and H’Neng communes in Đắk Đoa District. During rainy season, water submerges the bridge and residents must swim over the bridge to cross the river.

Trương Quang Trung, a local resident, said that he must use his tractor to transport students to reach different schools in the commune.

Trung keeps watch from 5am to 7pm. Currently, more than 200 students are transported free of charge by Trung, whereas he takes VNĐ10,000 (US$0.4) per adult with motorbike.

To improve the condition, the Đắk Lắk Traffic Safety Committee in 2014 presented the Bình Hòa Commune a motor boat with enough equipment to transport 70-100 passengers at a time.

The motor boat is used to transport students and teachers to cross the Krông Ana River to go to school.

Lục Văn Toại, director of the Project Management Board under the Đắk Lắk Department of Transport, told the Tiền Phong (Vanguard) newspaper that the province had more than 400 bridges, most of which are temporary structures.

Last March, the Ministry of Transport approved the construction of more bridges in the province.

Under the project, as many as 122 bridges costing a total of VNĐ193 billion ($8.6 million) borrowed with interest from the World Bank, from the State budget and provincial budget will be built.

So far, nine bridges have been built and opened for public use. And more than 30 other bridges are scheduled to be built soon, according to Toại. – VNS