The HanoiDepartment of Construction has proposed the Hanoi People's Committee tocall for tenders for seven projects this year. These includetransporting waste to the Nam Son Waste Treatment Complex, plantingtrees and grass along roads and building a street lighting system alongthe Phap Van-Cau Gie portion of National Highway 1.
In addition,the department will call for tenders for a number of projects in the2015-2016 period, including the operation of the sewage treatment plantat the Nam Son Waste Treatment Complex and the management of 53 publicsteel toilets.
The projects are all ongoing public services thathave not been implemented according to requirements or that havecontracts that will soon expire, according to the Hanoi Department ofConstruction. The bidding system aims to improve the quality of theprojects and save money for the State.
The urban infrastructuresystem is currently overloaded, as existing landfills and wastetreatment complexes fail to meet demand in the rapidly urbanising city.Moreover, many service suppliers have not yet implemented moderntechnology or management methods that would improve productivity andreduce labour costs.
In an interview with Tien Phong (Vanguard)newspaper, a leader of the Hanoi Department of Construction said theHanoi People's Committee had already approved cost norms for publicservices with the goal of eliminating irrational pricing. The decision,as well as the move to seek tenders for public service projects,reflects the country's ongoing transition to the market economy.
Annually,Hanoi spends about 4,000 billion VND (190 million USD) from the statebudget to pay for public services like wastewater treatment,environmental protection, tree planting and street lighting. The sum isdivided evenly between the Hanoi Municipal People's Committee andPeople's Committees in districts and precincts.-VNA