S Korea railroad institute to research green traffic project in Thua Thien-Hue

The Korea Railroad Research Institute (KRRI) and Vietnam Postal Media JSC have proposed deploying electric trains, electric buses and smart bicycles to assist Thua Thien-Hue in building a green city.

In a meeting with the duo Thursday, Thua Thien-Hue's Chairman Nguyen Van Phuong said green traffic is one of the central province's priorities, aiming to turn Hue into a green and clean town with reserved heritages and ecological urban development.

Hue, capital of Thua Thien-Hue, is home to the Hue Citadel, a UNESCO heritage site and a top tourist attraction in the country.

Phuong said he agreed to allow KRRI and Vietnam Postal Media to research a green public transport system project for the entire Thua Thien-Hue province.

He requested relevant agencies to coordinate and guide related procedures, creating the best conditions for the duo in their research process.

KRRI and Vietnam Postal Media will coordinate with SMS Hue Co., Ltd. to make a pre-feasibility report for the deployment of trams and electric buses within six months, then propose the next implementation and investment steps.

The tram line is expected to connect districts and towns with central Hue via an advanced and modern transport model.

Vietnam Postal Media also proposed making pre-feasibility studies for a smart bike sharing scheme, following the GIZ pilot project, over six months. It said it would sponsor 1,000 bicycles for Hue. GIZ is a development cooperation entity under the German government.

Currently, after two months of GIZ project implementation, people and visitors have responded positively to the bike sharing scheme. In the early morning and late evening, the demand for public bicycles exceeds the number of available vehicles.