(VOVWORLD) - Implementing the policy of continued urban and residential upgrading in Quang Ninh province, construction projects are well under way in Đông Mai ward. Roads are being widened and facilities upgraded thanks to residents who have donated land, dismantled obstaclesand worked alongside local authorities to improve their living environment.
 Residents in Dong Mai ward donate land to an urban upgrading project in Quang Ninh province. (Photo: baoquangninh.vn) |
The Mac Dang Dung road, alley 342 in the Km11 neighborhood of Dong Mai ward, Quang Ninh province, was previously just over two meters wide, making travel and trading difficult for local residents.
After the ward reviewed current conditions and announced a plan to upgrade and expand the more than 200 meter long road, 15 households living along the route agreed with it.
They voluntarily dismantled nearly 200 meters of fencing and donated about 180 square meters of land, along with various structures and trees for the construction. Once completed, the road will be widened to 3.5 meters, better meeting local transport needs.
On the day dismantling began, the family of Nguyen Thuy Cai, at No.17 Mac Dang Dung Street, was among the first to donate land.
"My family has 20 square meters of land. We give it to the State to build the road and help to make our neighborhood more spacious," Cai said.
 Local residents contribute nearly 100 workdays to build Mac Dang Dung road (Alley 342) in the Km11 neighborhood of Dong Mai ward. (Photo: baoquangninh.vn) |
In addition to donating land, Dong Mai residents contributed their labor. Nearly 100 man-days were mobilized to work with local authorities on the construction of alley 342, from dismantling fences and relocating structures to supporting the building work, reflecting a strong sense of collective responsibility.
According to Truong Van Huyen, Party Cell Secretary and Head of Km11 neighborhood, achieving such a high level of consensus required early and consistent information dissemination and mass mobilization.
“The Party Cell issued a thematic resolution and worked closely with the neighborhood and the Fatherland Front to mobilize residents. People donated more than 200 square meters of land, and we raised 60 million dong to rebuild fences for donor households. Many volunteers also contributed labor to help rebuild fences for residents,” Huyen told VOV.
 Urban renewal projects in Dong Mai ward move forward with community contributions of land and labor. (Photo: baoquangninh.vn) |
The upgrade of Mac Dang Dung road is one of 11 urban beautification projects that Dong Mai ward is implementing in the fourth quarter of 2025.
Following the principle of the State and the people working together, the ward has mobilized various resources and combined the State budget with voluntary contributions from residents through land donations and the removal of structures. As a result, roads have been widened and drainage systems, green spaces and urban lighting installed.
"In 2025, the ward implemented 11 urban upgrading and beautification projects," Vu Ngoc Hung, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman of the People’s Committee of Dong Mai ward, said, "Wherever projects were carried out, residents donated land and dismantled fences. The local authorities and organizations supported the rebuilding of fences and the widening of alleyways to ensure they are at least 3.5 meters wide for smooth traffic. At present, the ward is focusing on four routes, each over 500 meters long, with houses on both sides set back by 20 to 30 square meters."
Beyond Dong Mai ward, the movement to donate land for public works is spreading across many other communes and wards in Quang Ninh province. This is not only a story of urban infrastructure, but also a clear reflection of cooperation between authorities and residents in implementing provincial policies aimed at improving urban quality and developing sustainable public spaces.
 Households in other communes and wards across Quang Ninh province back urban improvement plans and voluntarily donat land for projects. (Photo: baoquangninh.vn) |
When people understand their long-term interests and local authorities communicate clearly and act together with residents, each meter of donated land becomes an investment in the future.
Dong Mai ward today is opening up new roads not only with concrete and asphalt, but with public consensus and trust, in line with the Resolution of the 16th Quang Ninh Provincial Party Congress to make the province a centrally governed city before 2030 and a major regional and global urban center by 2045.