The province is now stepping up land clearance efforts, from surveying, measuring and inventorying affected land and assets, and verifying land origins to preparing compensation plans and making compensation payments, with the aim of handing over cleared sites to investors as soon as possible.

The two tourism projects that have been broken ground are the New Urban Area, Tourism, Resort and Sports Services Project in the northwest of Điện Biên Phủ ward and the Điện Biên Phủ Cable Car Complex combined with Cultural and Historical Tourism. These large-scale projects are expected to create new tourism products, attract visitors, boost the service sector, generate employment and open up new avenues for local development.

The New Urban Area, Tourism, Resort and Sports Services Project in the northwest of Điện Biên Phủ ward covers a total land area of 228.5 hectares. Phase 1 will be implemented on approximately 101.7 hectares and include technical infrastructure, a sports services area, an 18-hole golf course, a golf practice facility, parking areas, high-rise commercial and service facilities, and an internal road network. In phase 1 alone, land clearance is required for 308 households, individuals and organizations in Thanh Nưa commune, including 304 households and individuals and four organizations, with a total of 101.7 hectares of land to be acquired.

Recognizing that a cleared site is a prerequisite for the investor to implement the project, Thanh Nưa commune has been coordinating with relevant agencies and units to carry out each task according to schedule. To date, the commune has completed declarations and inventories for 303 of the 308 affected households and individuals, equivalent to 98.3%. The origin of 1,567 out of 1,604 land parcels has been verified, or 97.69%, covering approximately 60.5 of the 66.7 hectares. As of August 3, the locality had prepared preliminary compensation estimates for 294 of the 304 affected households and individuals, representing 95.4% of the workload requiring compensation plans. A total of 11.1 hectares of cleared land has been handed over to the investor for construction.

The family of Tòng Văn Tuyền in Tông Khao hamlet, Thanh Nưa commune, has more than 6,000 square meters of rice-growing land and approximately 400 square meters of garden land within the project’s land clearance area. After local working teams made several visits to explain the project’s policies, objectives and significance, Tuyền came to understand the project and agreed to hand over his land.

Tuyền said: “This is a major project of the province. If it is implemented on schedule, it will create many opportunities for socio-economic development. Therefore, my family is ready to support the project and facilitate construction by the investor.”

Chu Văn Bách, Chairman of the Thanh Nưa commune People’s Committee, said: “The locality is currently working actively with relevant agencies, units and households to complete the inventory and verification of land origins for the remaining households. At the same time, the commune continues to coordinate with the provincial Land Fund Development Center and relevant agencies to complete the necessary documents and procedures, conduct appraisal and approval of compensation, support and resettlement plans, and use these as the basis for making advance and final compensation and support payments and handing over cleared sites to the investor.”

Similarly, land clearance for the Điện Biên Phủ Cable Car Complex combined with Cultural and Historical Tourism is being carried out under strong direction from the province and has made positive progress.

The project covers 35.35 hectares across two communes, Mường Phăng and Pu Nhi. In Mường Phăng alone, the project affects 192 households, individuals and organizations, with approximately 29.43 hectares of land to be acquired. To date, the commune has completed the declaration and inventory process for all 192 affected households, individuals and organizations and has completed preliminary compensation estimates for all 189 households and individuals concerned.

Trần Văn Tuấn, Chairman of the Mường Phăng commune People’s Committee, said: “The locality will continue to publicly post the compensation plan while accelerating land acquisition, compensation and support for land clearance.”

At the grassroots level, the project has also received strong support from local residents. Cà Văn Đoàn of Che Căn hamlet, Mường Phăng commune, said: “Everyone in the hamlet is excited about the cable car project and agrees with and supports the province’s policy. We hope that once completed, the project will contribute to socio-economic development, create better conditions for local tourism and open up opportunities for people to increase their incomes.”

In Pu Nhi commune, preparations for land clearance are also under way and involve specific requirements. The project affects two hamlets, Pu Nhi A and Pu Nhi B, with approximately 5.4 hectares of land to be acquired, all of which is protection forest land. To date, Pu Nhi commune has selected a consulting firm, completed surveying and reviewed land ownership across the entire affected forest area. The locality has also coordinated with the investor, Mường Phăng Commune, the Forest Protection Unit and relevant agencies to survey the current forest conditions and determine the area of forest requiring a change in land use. The Pu Nhi commune People’s Committee is continuing to coordinate with relevant agencies and units to determine the current status and area of forest requiring a change in land-use purpose for implementation of the project.

In the coming period, agencies and authorities at all levels and localities will continue to accelerate land clearance, complete documentation, make compensation and support payments, and hand over cleared sites to investors, creating favorable conditions for the projects to commence construction soon. Once completed, the projects are expected to create new tourism products, attract visitors, generate employment, increase incomes, contribute to provincial revenues and provide fresh momentum for Điện Biên’s socio-economic development.