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| Cars and vans are served for transporting tourists at Lý Sơn Island’s port. Booming of transport vehicle would lead to damage of infrastructure. — VNS Photo Công Thành |
Viet Nam News
LÝ SƠN ISLAND — Lý Sơn Island’s roads could be overloaded with commercial transport vehicles in the near future, according to a local official.
Vice chairwoman of the island district’s People’s Committee, Phạm Thị Hương, made the warning after the Quảng Ngãi Province decided to increase the number of transport vehicles operating on the island to 160 cars in 2017-20.
Hương said the island has now 108 cars including four-seat cars, light-trucks and battery-powered cars travelling on the 10sq.km island, and 22 electric cars on An Bình Islet – 3 miles off Lý Sơn’s coast.
The current vehicles can meet the travel demand for the island’s 21,000 population and 200,000 tourists each year, while infrastructure would be damaged if more vehicles are brought to the island, according to Hương.
She said most vehicles operating on the island and islet were bought by local people due to the booming tourism industry in recent years.
The vice chairwoman said the new vehicles would lead to conflicts between businesses and local community over serving tourists.
She said the island always priorities sustainable development in tourism, focusing on the benefit of the community.
According to deputy director of Quảng Ngãi provincial transport department, Đỗ Tiến Đại, the department will add 160 more cars and battery vehicles by 2020, and 90 more cars in 2025.
He said 210 cars will operate on Lý Sơn Island, and 82 cars will travel on An Bình Islet in 2020.
The island, 30km off the coast of Quảng Ngãi Province, is a tranquil destination with 21,000 inhabitants, most of whom make their living from farming garlic and spring onions and fishing. — VNS
