A Vietnamese conglomerate has put forward a plan to build a cable car connecting the tourist city of Hoi An and another district in the central province of Quang Nam, but it is facing the first challenge of large occupation.

The firm, known only as NVN, is based Quang Nam, which borders Da Nang City to the north.

NVN has suggested the idea of building a cable car link from Thanh Ha Ward in Hoi An City, flying over the Thu Bon River, an iconic waterway in the famed ancient town, and ending in Duy Nghia Village of Duy Xuyen District in Quang Nam.

The fastest route to travel between the two destinations now is 13 kilometers in length, while the cable car will carry passengers over a shorter aerial route of seven kilometers.

Le Van Vinh, general director of NVN, confirmed to Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper about the proposal.

The seven-kilometer project is projected to occupy a space of greater than 100 hectares, equal to one square kilometer, and cost around VND2.1 trillion (US$92.4 million), according to NVN.

NVN aims to use the cable car system, said Vinh, for both tourism and transport purposes.

“NVN hopes that the cable link project will create a new tourism service, where tourists will sit in the cabins while admiring the Thu Bon River and the mounds beneath during the journey,” Vinh said.

The company has had a meeting with the Hoi An City People's Committee to present about the project, according to Vinh.

However, Chairman of the People's Committee Nguyen Van Dung was concerned that the project would occupy a large area of agricultural land.

“Such an area is too large. It is challenging to be launched since agricultural land acquisition will be very difficult,” Dung said.

“We suggest NVN work with specific agencies and authorities of the wards where the project is to be developed in order to recalculate and reduce the area of impact,” the chairman advised.

The fastest route to travel between Thanh Ha Ward in Hoi An City and Duy Nghia Village of Duy Xuyen District in Quang Nam is seen in this Google Maps screenshot.

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