Hanoi's Master Development Plan Focuses on Urban Expansion

Hanoi's Master Development Plan Focuses on Urban Expansion

Hanoi’s agencies are working with the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to carry out a project studying the overall development and expansion of Vietnam’s capital, with funding of US$10 million over an estimated period of 16 months.

The project shows that Hanoi is facing urgent challenges in the area of rampant migration of people from rural areas nationwide to the capital. There is a focus on expanding urban areas to the north and the east in response to the issue.

Construction of houses and buildings is also taking place in all corners of the city. Hanoi is gradually replacing old and dilapidated apartment blocks. Buildings with six floors or more account for 60 per cent of those under the city’s housing development programme.

Privately constructed houses, which are two storeys on average, account for 75 per cent of all housing in the city. The high ratio of small privately constructed houses triggered a high urban density, resulting in a shortage of public infrastructure, a fact borne out by the high number of traffic jams and accidents witnessed on the roads. It has also caused a deterioration of the urban environment and other social evils.

According to the research, the fresh water supply of Hanoi can meet only 50 per cent of the demand of local residents. Only 60 per cent of streets in the city have a water drainage system. A lack of capital investment, and resources experienced in working on large-scale urban infrastructure planning projects has resulted in a lack of newly created public domain space and tree plantings.

During the research process, JICA put forward ideas for traffic planning and measures to improve public transportation such as bus, taxi and rail. In the short term, Hanoi must repair and reconstruct traffic infrastructure, and remove bottleneck points in order to reduce traffic congestion. In the medium-term, Hanoi will improve traffic junctions and build bus stations. In the long-term, it will develop a railway system, build more bridges over the Red River and redevelop urbanised areas.

The city’s overall development scheme will specialise in urban expansion. It includes urban development mapping, and a project supporting institution construction, enhancing the abilities of State management bodies, and transferral of techniques in planning and managing urban development. The scheme also includes a plan focusing on improving residential settlements and mapping out zones for housing development by 2010, and by 2020. Projects within the overall scheme will not only stimulate Hanoi’s economic activities but also raise public welfare for the city’s residents, and help reduce poverty in neighbouring areas.

The Hanoi People’s Committee will perform the role of management partner of the overall development scheme. It will be the sole coordinating body, liaising with government and non-government organisations to carry out the research project. 

• Quynh Chi