The head of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Information andCommunication said the city was in the process of setting up ane-government that would play a critical role in building a "smart" citythrough information and communication technology (ICT).

Le ThaiHy said the smart city would improve residents' quality of life byefficiently managing traffic, power, healthcare and environmentalsystems, including waste treatment.

Hy spoke at a conference onsmart cities held in HCM City this week organised by the department andSao Bac Dau Technologies Corporation.

"It is very important that the people's benefits should be considered first in building a smart city," he said.

He said local agencies should work with enterprises to define solutions that need to be carried out first.

A detailed roadmap for implementation needs to be created as well, he said.

Smart technologies will help the city reduce traffic jams, environmental pollution and other issues.

Insmart traffic management, for example, sensors and cameras help collectreal-time information about traffic density on city roads.

Theinformation is transmitted to the management system of transportoperating agencies, which can then intervene quickly if accidents orcongestion occur.

Sensor data is also used in the management of waste treatment and power.

NguyenViet Thang, vice president of sales at Sao Bac Dau Technologies, saidthat smart city development had become popular worldwide.

India,for example, aims to build 100 smart cities throughout the country by2020, he said, adding that Korea already has Songdo smart city.

"Good infrastructure and residents' awareness are also vital elements in developing a smart city," Thang said.-VNA