A section of Provincial Road No 8 in HCM City’s Củ Chi District.—VNS File Photo.

HCM CITY — Provincial Road No 8, the main highway leading to Đông Nam Industrial Park in HCM City’s Củ Chi District, will be upgraded to meet rising transport demand.

The section of the road in Củ Chi District is the main road linking HCM city to the southern provinces of Long An and Bình Dương. This section has interchanges with National Roads No 2 and 9, and National Highway No 22.

Located along the Provincial Road No 8 are schools, industrial parks and industrial complexes such as Đông Nam IP, Hoà Phú Industrial Complex, Sambo Việt Nam Industrial Zone, and Centre Mall Củ Chi.

The Đông Nam Industrial Park was first established in Củ Chi District in July 2005 under the name Tân Quy Industrial Complex.

In January 2006 the city decided to locate the industrial complex on a 343ha area in the communes of Hoà Phú and Bình Mỹ in Củ Chi District.

In November 2007, the city changed the name of the complex to Đông Nam Industrial Park.

Two years later, the People’s Committee approved a master plan for a residential area to accommodate families of workers at Đông Nam Industrial Park in Hoà Phú and Bình Mỹ communes.

Nguyễn Việt Dũng, deputy chairman of Củ Chi District People’s Committee, said that infrastructure at Đông Nam Industrial Park, including roads, water supply and drainage systems, electric power supply, and greenery have been developed well.

More than 60 per cent of Đông Nam has been leased and foreign investment in the industrial park has amounted to US$1.2 billion.

The industrial park has offered many jobs to residents in Củ Chi and neighbouring localities, said Dũng.

However, the operation of schools, industrial parks and super malls has put pressure on the section of the Provincial Road No 8 in Củ Chi District, especially during peak hours when a large number of workers and employees are going to work or returning home.

Dũng said that Provincial Road No 8 could not meet the huge demand for transport of vehicles at peak hours.

Củ Chi District has asked the HCM City Department of Transportation to create a separate lane on the section of Provincial Road No 8 from Hà Duy Phiên Street to Bà Bếp Bridge, and install traffic signs at Gate B at Đông Nam Industrial Park.

The Department of Transportation said the section of the Provincial Road No 8 in Củ Chi District is 40 metres wide and 22.5km long, running from Thầy Cai Bridge to the Provincial Road No 9.

About 8.8km of the road has been enlarged and upgraded. — VNS