JICA inaugurates 2nd roadside station in Vietnam

      Another roadside station opened its doors to travellers on National Highway 1A in the northern province of Ninh Binh on March 18.
Built on a 6,500 sq.m property in Ninh Binh city, the roadside station is one of three such pilot projects in the provinces of Hoa Binh, Ninh Binh and Bac Giang.
The projects form part of an overall roadside planning study in Vietnam, with total funding of US$4.33 million, financed and implemented by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in February 2007.
The station not only offers travellers a place to rest, but also serves as a venue to provide local tourism information and promote local delicacies, said Luong Duy Phong, Director of the Ninh Binh coach station management company, which operates the roadside station.
In early February, JICA inaugurated a similar roadside station on National Highway No. 6 in Tan Lac district, in the northern mountainous province of Hoa Binh.
The other such station in Bac Giang province is scheduled for completion in the next few weeks. Construction of the three stations cost US$1.16 million.
The Vietnam Road Administration expects that by 2015, there will be about 80 standardised roadside stations across the country and motorists will have the benefit of a range of public services.