Addressing business concerns is the utmost priority for provinces/cities at the moment for economic recovery, as enterprises without support would be unable to resume production.

Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh at the meeting. Photos: Duc Tuan

Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh stressed the view during a national online meeting on October 20, discussing measures to ensure smooth movements of goods and people for the recovery of industrial production during the pandemic.

“Given the large number of people returning to their hometowns, local authorities should find solutions to mobilize workforce for business operation,” he added, noting the urgency for completing the vaccination for workers in the industry sector and transportation.

“Localities with high vaccination coverage in workers are no longer required to adopt the 3-on-site principle,” he stressed.

As Vietnam is shifting its Covid-19 strategy to safe and flexible adaptation to the pandemic, Thanh urged all localities to continue reopening flight services and maintaining the operation of railway and road transportation.

Meanwhile, Thanh called for provinces/cities to protect green zones from the risk of Covid-19 reemergence, with public participation a key element in preventing the infection.

Overview of the meeting.

Resuming passenger transportation nationwide

At the meeting, the Vice Minister of Transport Le Dinh Tho said the Government has put in place measures to avoid disruption to transportation activities, including the distribution of farm produce and input materials for industrial parks or construction projects.

For the first nine months of 2021, goods transportation was estimated at 114.48 million tons or 94.4% of total volume in the same period of last year.

According to Tho, as of October 19, 48 provinces/cities have agreed to resume passenger transport, while four local airlines of Vietnam Airlines, Vietjet Air, Bamboo Airways, and Pacific Airlines are operating 17 flight routes to 17 out of 22 airports carrying a total of nearly 13,000 passengers.

In the coming time, Tho expected the frequency of the Hanoi-Ho Chi Minh City route would rise to six flights per day from October 21 to November 14, and a maximum of seven flights from November 15 to October 30.

The same frequency would be applied for other flight routes, including the Hanoi – Danang, and Danang – Ho Chi Minh City.

Vaccination roll-out to aid production resumption

Vice Minister of Planning and Investment Vo Thanh Thong informed many provinces/cities with high vaccination coverage in workers at industrial parks have actively adapted to new normalcy and issued plans for economic resumption, including Ho Chi Minh City, Dong Nai, Binh Duong, Bac Ninh or Bac Giang.

“Enterprises at industrial parks, economic zones, or hi-tech parks are the main driving force to push for economic growth at this moment,” Thong said.

Vice-Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Nguyen Manh Quyen said Hanoi is working with the Ministry of Transport on raising the frequency in the Ho Chi Minh City – Hanoi route to 10 flights per day with 220 passengers each; and eight for the Hanoi – Danang.

In terms of railway transportation, Quyen noted Hanoi has so far resumed the Hanoi-Haiphong route with around 1,263 passengers as of October 17, and nearly 10,000 in the Hanoi-Ho Chi Minh City route.

“As of October 20, Hanoi has resumed 95% production capacity at industrial parks,” Quyen added.

Dinh Viet Thang, director of the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV), said nine days after the pilot resumption of domestic flights, Noi Bai, Tan Son Nhat, and Danang airports have been the busiest.

Thang expects airlines to continue intensifying flight operations in the coming time, with the Hanoi-Ho Chi Minh City with six flights per week, and other routes,  one per day.