The upgrade and expansion of National Highway 13 is one of the 61 projects and programs to celebrate the 50th anniversary of southern liberation and national reunification.
There are also large-scale constructions, including metro line 1 (Ben Thanh – Suoi Tien metro route); metro line 2 connecting Ben Thanh Market in District 1 and Tham Luong depot in District 12 scheduled to be kicked off on April 30, 2025; My Thuy and An Phu intersections expected to be completed in 2025; the National Highway 50 expansion project, HCMC-Moc Bai expressway flyover to be started on April 30, 2025 and others.
Additionally, the city is striving to address the difficulties and challenges of investment resources. For the 2021-2025 period, the country’s economic hub needs VND672,000 billion (US$26.9 billion), but the budget can only cover about 21 percent of this amount.
Therefore, the southern metropolis has built a plan to mobilize social resources for infrastructure development from 2023 to 2030, another to strengthen the effectiveness of foreign direct investment (FDI) attraction in the city for the 2023-2025 period, with a vision towards 2030.
Particularly, HCMC is urgently completing a scheme to establish an international financial hub in the city and kick off its construction on the occasion of National Reunification Day (April 30) next year.
Large-scale projects that will be started or completed as scheduled to mark the 50th anniversary of southern liberation and national reunification include Phan Dinh Phung Sports Center, HCMC Children's Cultural Palace, a symphony, opera, and ballet theater, and the multi-functional theater in Thu Thiem New Urban Area in Thu Duc City, and Phu Tho multi-purpose performing center.
Chairman of the HCMC People's Committee Phan Van Mai affirmed that the city has maintained an economic and social growth rate of approximately 9 percent for the 2025-2030 period. Achieving this will require a series of tasks and initiatives.
Dr. Du Phuoc Tan, an urban expert from the HMC Institute for Development Studies (HIDS) said that in order to achieve the targeted growth rate, the city needs a simultaneous investment for projects, new models, policies, and urban spaces to create a new driving force, especially carrying out an investment in the approved HCMC's urban railway system development.
In reality, HCMC is decisively carrying out projects presenting the city’s aspiration for rising highly. The southern economic hub has actively created HCMC's urban railway system development in accordance with the Politburo's Conclusion No. 49-KL/TW on the development orientation of Vietnam's railway transport to 2030 with a vision towards 2045. Accordingly, HCMC will complete six metro lines running around 183 kilometers by 2035 and 148 stations with an estimated total investment of more than VND824,00 billion (US$32.3 billion).
The city authorities will complete the adjustment of the general master plan for HCMC to 2040, with a vision to 2060. This plan will serve as the legal basis for urban development management. In addition, the city will develop 1,000 hectares of new industrial land to create new development spaces and complete a pilot conversion project for Tan Thuan Export Processing Zone, along with Tan Binh, Cat Lai, Hiep Phuoc, and Binh Chieu Industrial Parks (IPs) this year. The city will start the construction of at least one logistics center before April 30, 2025.
According to Dr. Vu Thanh Tu Anh, director of the Fulbright School of Public Policy and Management, HCMC needs to promote its strengths, such as the ability to attract social investment resources, to create a new driving force.
Dr. Tran Du Lich, Chairman of the Advisory Council for the Implementation of Resolution No.98/2023/QH15 of the National Assembly on piloting specific mechanisms and policies for the development of HCMC, said that the timely completion of works and projects for economic restructuring, urban infrastructure, and space development not only brings significant benefits to the city but also creates a new appearance and solid foundation for the southern metropolis' development.
On the 79th anniversary of the August Revolution (August 19, 1945 –2024) and the National Day of Vietnam (September 2), many key transportation and infrastructure projects across the country have been completed and accelerated their progress to serve the public soon.
