DaNang (VNS/VNA) - Having launched an e-Government system in 2014,the central city of Da Nang has completed 1,632 out of 1,682 onlineadministration procedures, marking a crucial step inbecoming a ‘smart city’ and the first in Vietnam to join theASEAN ‘smart’ city network by 2030.

The system, which has been used by 285 agencies and administrative centres inseven districts, helped speed up the procedure schedule, while saving at least 1trillion VND (44.2 million USD) and 20 percent of other costs in humanresources in the city.

According to a report from the city’s information and technology department,763 administrative procedure – 48 percent of the total –have attained level four, meaning that local people and businesses couldstay home for all paperwork for the city’s online public one-stop servicefor investment licences, residential management, public transport andwater supervision.

The city has reserved total investment of 2.14 trillion VND (95 million USD)for the ‘smart’ city plan in 2030-45, in which information technology andcommunication will play a key role in management, economy,environment, living, citizens and traffic.

Director of the city’s IT Department Nguyen Quang Thanh said the ‘smart’city is a necessary solution in digitalisation that all developed cities in theworld are adopting.

“We aim to create smooth conditions and utilities for all residents andbusinesses, getting people and local administration closer than ever indigitalisation. IT solutions have been developed from the need of local peoplein daily life, while saving money and time for all people and businesses,”Thanh said.

“The e-Government plan helps promote transparency and improveadministrative reform as residents now have easy access to clearinformation on land, administrative procedures, planning, social services,disaster warnings, healthcare and education online,” he said.

He said IT applications and online services would help save at least 13,000 USDin annual paperwork for a department in the city, excluding travel costs andtime for local people and businesses.

IT applications and databases are now open for students from primary school tohigh school in Da Nang, while 16 health centres and hospitals have been usingdigital records.

Smart traffic camera systems have been installed at 166 traffic junctionsin the city since 2014, while 1,800 security cameras have connected 25,000private cameras.

Commuters and tourists can search for information on bus and taxi tripsand destinations as 2,200 buses and taxi cabs have connected to the system.

Nguyen Mung, solution manager at Phi Long Technology company, said it helpedbuild a smart traffic solution in Da Nang to ease trafficcongestion and fighting traffic violations with 3,000 trafficcameras.

He said face identification systems have been installed at many shops,supermarkets, hotels and restaurants in Da Nang.

A public open data source for the community and businesses has been launched offering data for users searching through Zalo, SMS (Short Message Service) or Application Programming Interface (API).

“Local residents and businesses can search for information on air control,water, garbage, meteorology, disaster warnings and flooding through switchboard1022,” said vice director of the city’s IT department Tran Van Thach.

Thach said the city introduced the Da Nang Smart City app forsmartphone users to access public information and connect with localauthorities.

“All local residents and tourists could download the app to searchfor information related to public services, tourism, rescue, bus trips,open data, smart car parks and hotlines, or send commentsand complaints to the local government,” he said.

“We also offered a page to get feedback on city services from the localcommunity in urban, environmental, administrative and tourism-related services.Many opinions and complaints from local residents and tourists were resolvedwithin seven days through the online system,” he explained.

The city’s Facebook page is an online public evaluation onadministrative procedures across 56 communes, precincts and departmentsthroughout the city since it debuted from 2015.

The city is also ready for connection with the 126 smart cities network inASEAN, he said./.