Chairman Mai noted a goal to reduce 5-10 percent of all traffic accidents, the number of deaths and the number of people injured due to traffic accidents in 2022.
He stressed the importance of quality work in preventing and reducing the number of serious traffic accidents and illegal street races in addition to reducing their number.
Mr. Mai also suggested the development of waterway transport to elevate HCMC’s geological advantages, alleviate the burden on land traffic and facilitate other service industries such as tourism.
The Head of HCMC government also emphasized strong coordination between traffic police, traffic inspectors, youth volunteers and grassroots forces in ensuring traffic safety. He also said that they must avoid overlapping tasks and inefficiency, and focus on maintaining professionalism in their work.
Chairman Mai confirmed that HCMC would continue to focus on transport infrastructure. In 2022, Ring Road 2 will be completed, paperwork for Ring Road 3 will be prepared, and arrangements will be made to start Ring Road 4 and the HCMC- Moc Bai Expressway projects.
At the same time, Metro Line No. 1 from Ben Thanh - Suoi Tien will be completed on the base level, Line No. 2 will start constructions, and traffic jams at the gateway of Tan Son Nhat Airport, Cat Lai port and other major areas are planned to be resolved. The city will also focus on utilizing the Smart Traffic Management Center.
The transport sector and related industries need to participate in updating and adjusting the HCMC Master Plan to 2040, with a vision to 2060.
Reports by Mr. Nguyen Vu Hanh Phuc, Office Chief of the HCMC Traffic Safety Committee showed 1,784 traffic accidents (down 1,146 cases compared to 2020), resulting in 477 fatalities (down 70 cases) and 1,042 injured (down 993 cases). Currently, there are 19 potential bottle-necks and seven spots that can cause severe accidents across the city.
Director of the HCMC Department of Transport Tran Quang Lam said there are currently about 11,000-12,000 public bus passengers daily. It is forecasted that the number of passengers will peak at about 60,000-70,000 from January 27.
Sr. Col. Nguyen Dinh Duong, Head of the Road and Railway Traffic Police Department (PC08) under HCMC Police Department, affirmed that his division will coordinate with internal and external units to ensure smooth traffic during the 2022 Lunar New Year.
