Once remote and underserved, rural parts in the newly expanded HCM City are being revitalised by sweeping infrastructure spending — opening roads, energising homes and transforming lives, particularly in ethnic minority communities.
The completion of the National Highway No. 51 bypass in HCM City has paved the way for new economic development opportunities for communities along both sides of it. — VNA/VNS Photo
From being formerly isolated zones with scant access to basic services, many districts now enjoy modern amenities and greater economic prospects, as infrastructure becomes a vital lever for inclusive, sustainable growth.
Infrastructure is widely recognised as a cornerstone of socio-economic progress.
Acknowledging this, authorities in the former Bà Rịa–Vũng Tàu Province, now incorporated into the expanded city, have prioritised development in remote and ethnically diverse areas.
One illustrative case is from Phú Mỹ Ward, where Nguyễn Thị Kim’s family once relied on a modest plot of nutrient-poor land, reachable only by narrow dirt tracks.
In 2018, over 700 square metres of her plot were reclaimed to build the bypass for National Highway 51.
Rather than lamenting the loss, Kim seized the opportunity.
“With the new route, I opened a small food stall selling fried chicken and sausages, and rented out kiosks. Now I earn about VNĐ10.5 million (US$460) a month,” she said.
“It does not just make travel easier; it created fresh business chances and boosted our household earnings.”
Similar accounts emerge from elsewhere.
The Mỹ Xuân–Ngãi Giao–Hòa Bình route, traversing Ngãi Giao Town in the former Châu Đức District, was once narrow and congested with heavy trucks from neighbouring Đồng Nai Province.
Frequent accidents and surface damage posed a grave threat to locals.
To tackle this, officials invested over VNĐ380 billion ($16.6 million) to widen the carriageway to 14 metres and added pavements, drainage, greenery, and lighting.
Lê Gia Thuận of Bình Giã Commune said: “It is now spacious, with multiple lanes. Movement is safer. Many neighbours have opened shops, and trade has greatly improved.”
The gains are especially evident in areas with substantial ethnic minority populations, like Lồ Ồ Village in Nghĩa Thành Commune, home to the Chơ Ro people.
Until recently, this community lacked power, paved routes and clean water. Rainy-season travel was treacherous, while healthcare and education access was extremely limited.
Through national poverty-reduction initiatives like Programme 134 and Programme 135 — focused on land, housing and clean water for disadvantaged ethnic households — Nghĩa Thành has undergone profound change.
Today concrete roads reach every hamlet, power lines connect all homes and new schools and health centres serve communal needs.
Local resident Đào Thị Dương recalls: “Life used to be very tough. Now each house has electricity and clean water. A paved route runs right to our door. Our children attend school, and adults hold steady jobs.”
Government-funded rural clean water systems have brought piped water directly to households in ethnic minority areas in HCM City’s Châu Pha Commune, formerly in Bà Rịa–Vũng Tàu Province’s Phú Mỹ Town. — VNA/VNS Photo
According to the local People’s Committee, every village in Nghĩa Thành now has asphalt roads, aiding farm trade and community-based commerce.
Parallel advances are visible in Gò Sầm Hamlet in Đất Đỏ Commune, home to the Khmer, Chơ Ro and Tày ethnic groups.
Previously, inhabitants used to walk kilometres daily to fetch water from the Ray River.
Now the area has all essential infrastructure, clean water access and a growing economy.
Đỗ Thị Hồng, chairwoman of the Đất Đỏ Commune People’s Committee, observed: “Locals no longer depend solely on state support. Many launch family enterprises. This shift stems not just from better infrastructure but also heightened self-reliance and determination among ethnic minority residents.”
Thanks to targeted, well-considered and synchronised spending, the city’s rural landscape is thriving.
Upgrades have laid the foundation for commercial centres, supermarkets, marketplaces, and farm distribution networks to emerge.
Firms increasingly expand into these zones, creating thousands of jobs.
With higher earnings, improved living standards and superior service access, countryside dwellers enjoy greater material and spiritual well-being.
This model of rural economic growth, rooted in infrastructure, is proving to be a sustainable and scalable approach amid the nation’s increasing urbanisation.