The central city of Da Nang on August 14 officially started a project on applying information technology to water and transport management funded by IBM group .

The move is part of IBM ’s “ Smarter Cities Challenge” scheme, with Da Nang being the first city in Vietnam and one of 33 cities worldwide selected to implement.

The Smarter Cities Challenge, launched in 2011 and worth 50 million USD, is one of IBM's largest philanthropic initiatives. Leading IT experts from IBM have worked with 100 cities around the world on key urban issues.

IBM has sent experts to Da Nang to look into its socio-economic development, and study ways to supply better urban services and attract greater participation of its citizens.

The corporation and local authorities will consider and propose ways to better manage transport, water supply and drainage, as well as waste water from industrial zones and factories and food safety and hygiene.

Over the next five to ten years, the city will apply IT solutions to the field of transport, urban, water, environment and health care management in order to improve living conditions for the city’s people, with water and transport given priority now.

Towards becoming a smarter city and an electronic government in the future, the city has been making strong strides in developing urban infrastructure and using advanced technologies for building and operating the infrastructure system, thus providing high-quality services to people, tourists and enterprises.-VNA