VietNamNet Bridge – Hundreds of billions dong have been wasted as a series of bus stations, modern and well-serviced, have been left idle because of the local authorities breaking their promises.

The promises of local authorities

According to Nguyen Huu Luan from Phuong Trang Da Lat Company, Phuong Trang Bus Station in the city of Da Lat is “as modern as an air terminal”. However, the station has been nearly deserted since it was put into operation.

Passengers prefer taking buses from another bus station near Phuong Trang. Although it is smaller, older and not as well-serviced, it offers lower service fees.

Phuong Trang station was built at a cost of VND50 billion after the investor got the nod from local authorities. Notably, however, the station cannot be found in the city’s initial station development plan.

Luan tried to contact the local authorities to question why they allowed the unplanned bus station to be set up. However, he was just told that the city’s authorities have the right to change the transport network in the city anytime they want.

“If I had known this, I would not have spent all that money on the bus station project,” Luan said “As an investor, I have the right to have the necessary information to make investment decisions,” he added.

A representative from Duc Long Gia Lai Group, the investor in the Southern Bus Station in Da Nang City, also complained that its bus station, with modern material facilities, can only offer two services per day.

“We don’t have revenue because there are not many passengers. However, we still have to pay off our debts to the bank every day, which is really burdening us,” he said.

Duc Long’s problem is that Southern Bus Station is far from the city’s center. Passengers prefer the bus stations in the central area to Duc Long’s station. Before the project, city authorities had assured the investor that the bus routes would be re-programmed, with buses transiting the new station.

The owner of the privately-run NuocNgam Station, Nguyen Van Lap, of Hanoi, complained that the 18,000 square meter station is run at just 30 percent of capacity, with only 200 buses going in and out everyday.

Private investors need support

While the state has called for the “socialization” of investment in transport development projects, it does encourage private investors.

The owner of the Duc Long Station in Da Nang has proposed that the city authorities re-program the bus routes, forcing buses to follow fixed itineraries and go through the newly built stations.

“Our station will be in high demand when the areas turn densely populated, in 20 or more years. But we cannot hold out that long,” he said.

Tien Phong