Ho Chi Minh City is implementing "Ho Chi Minh City planning project for the period 2021 - 2030, vision to 2050".

Talking with Traffic Newspaper, Dr. Architect Ngo Viet Nam Son, a member of the Project Implementation Council, said that the project has many new features and is highly feasible. This is also the method that Shanghai (China) used to apply.

Urban development associated with traffic

Many people know that he worked as a planner for the city of Shanghai. Now you are a member of the Council implementing the Ho Chi Minh City Planning Project for the period 2021 - 2030, with a vision to 2050. How do you evaluate this project?

This planning project proposes many innovative directions and urban development orientations associated with different industries.

For example, integrating metro construction according to the TOD (Transit Oriented Development) model - an urban development model with public transportation as the center; Ho Chi Minh City development associated with regional connectivity along Ring Roads 3 and 4; multi-center urban development; Urban development along the Saigon River; Marine economic development such as Can Gio super port, sea reclamation urban areas...

In particular, this project associates urban planning with market economic thinking. That is, the plans all aim at the potential to attract socialized capital to invest in social and urban infrastructure. This is very important to generate budget revenue and feasibility to implement plans.

Previously, I worked as a planner for the city of Shanghai (China), they did the same and after only a few decades, they developed dramatically. Shanghai's GDP has continuously grown in double digits.

But planning is the first step, what's important is how to realize it, don't you think?

Previously, we developed a plan but did not have a specific implementation plan. But this time will be different.

For example, Ring Roads 2, 3, 4; Radial roads are included in construction programs with specific roadmaps. In addition to the determined implementation time, investment capital has also been arranged.

Create a complete living environment

The project emphasizes multi-polar, green, smart urban development... Can you tell more about this model?

Multi-polar, multi-center orientation, meaning that in addition to the central area of District 1 and District 3, there will be other satellite urban areas such as: Thu Duc, South Saigon, Northwest... This is the wish of Ho Chi Minh City. for a long time but it has not been done yet.

For a long time, in satellite urban areas, the main focus has been on building housing projects, dividing plots for sale, selling apartments, townhouses, etc. Investors are not really interested and have not built a good environment. Truly complete habitat.

This plan will fix that. Large urban centers and small urban centers will be connected to each other by the urban traffic system, traffic connecting the region with ring roads and radial roads.

Multi-center areas will ensure that people can settle down, have social infrastructure and accompanying utilities, create local jobs and encourage people to work on the spot, reducing traffic pressure in the areas. other area.

How to take advantage of specific mechanisms?

In fact, the city currently only has metro line No. 1 Ben Thanh - Suoi Tien, other lines have not yet been deployed. Is it feasible to connect multi-center cities at this time, sir?

Currently, metro lines are being reviewed. Previous metro plans were implemented individually, only taking into account route directions and not taking into account urban factors. This planning clearly identifies the metro attached to the urban area, which areas it passes through, and how it affects that residential area.

Resolution 98 has given the city many special mechanisms. Will that speed up the implementation of this project?

Resolution 98 creates favorable conditions for developing cities within cities, developing metros according to the public transport model associated with urban areas, land compensation... However, the new resolution is only a premise, but still needs to be put into practice. The reality still needs accompanying legalities.

For example, building a metro under the TOD model, there is currently a compensation unit price, but according to the State price, it is very low compared to the market. If it's lower than the market, people don't want to go, but if it's as high as the market, what is the basis for calculating? After completing the metro, the land fund will be auctioned, but what mechanism will the auction be based on, and how will the revenue be used?... All of these issues need a specific legal corridor, so it will take time.

Need more capital

The project has given specific timelines, such as completing Ring Road 3 by 2026, completing Ring Road 4 before 2030, and completing the metro system by 2035... Looking at the reality of metro line No. 1 being long. It's 20km but it took 20 years to complete, what do you think?

Indeed, in my opinion, some timelines are more wishful thinking than based on scientific research and thorough evaluation. For example, building 200km metro in 12 years is clearly what we want, but whether we can do it or not is still a question mark.

Therefore, it is necessary to conduct thorough research and clearly identify resources instead of setting a short timeline and then having to adjust. The planning is on the right track, but to realize it, scientific research and reality-based research is needed to make it feasible.

To realize the contents of the planning project, how do you think capital mobilization should be carried out?

The city is targeting capital sources mobilized from society and land funds. But to thrive, more public investment capital is still needed, considered as bait capital. Therefore, we hope that the Central Government should allow the city to retain more of its budget to have resources to reinvest and build necessary infrastructure.

This is considered a long-term investment. Because when the city's GDP grows in double digits, the annual budget payment increases, which is beneficial in the long term.

Source: Traffic Newspaper (bao Giaothong.vn)