The purpose of fine-tuning the general planning for HCMC is to better suit the development direction of the whole HCMC, transforming it into a center for domestic and regional trading, culture, innovative knowledge, scientific research, technology transfer, regional high-tech industry, tourism, finance, and international logistics service.
One of the key content is to boost inner connections and coastal economy in Can Gio District in order to form a coastal city chain and preserve Can Gio Biosphere. Other important content is the harmony growth of the economic, cultural, and social aspects, environment protection and climate change adaptation, the synchronization between new construction and urban renovation.
In related news, HCMC-DPA is going to collaborate with SGGP Newspaper to hold a forum named ‘Ideas for HCMC General Planning’ to collect useful input from the public via popular channels such as SGGP Newspaper online and offline versions, the formal website of HCMC-DPA.
Submitted ideas can be in the form of writing pieces, images, maps, charts, designs. The input period lasts from October 1, 2021 to November 30, 2021. Selected ideas are printed in a book and their owners will receive a crystal award and royalties from the organization board. The book will also have articles by renowned experts of the field, senior scientists and managers, businesses.
Simultaneously, there will be a voting contest ‘Ideas for HCMC General Planning until 2040, with a Vision to 2060’ aiming at collection input from capable and experienced planning consultation units. There will be a first, second, and third prize for each category.
The contest will last from October 5, 2021 to December 30, 2021 and the awards ceremony is expected to be held on January 8, 2022.
The new vision of the HCMC general planning is to become an innovative, active pioneer city, Vietnam’s knowledge and marine economy center as well as an international transit hub, a center for finance and service in the Southeast Asian and Pacific region, a livable place with attractive work environments, a city with cultural diversity where river landscapes and heritages are carefully conserved, and a city with sustainable urban infrastructure to effectively adapt to climate change.
The estimated population scale of the whole HCMC in 2040 is about 13-14 million people, and the land scale for urban development until 2040 is about 100,000-110,000ha. It has a strategic position in terms of national defence in both the country’s southeast region and East Sea.
The general planning for Thu Duc City until 2040 aims at transforming it into a national center for knowledge economy, science-technology, and finance. It is projected that in 2030, the city’s population will reach 1.5 million, increasing to 2.2 million ten years later. The total constructible land here in 2030 will be 19,994ha.
In his speech in the event, Vice Chairman of HCMC People’s Committee Le Hoa Binh stressed that the general planning of the city normally plays the essential role of a basis for infrastructure developments like building new industry parks, hospitals, schools and urban areas.
Therefore, this planning must be feasible to address current problems in accordance with the long-term growth direction of the city. It must also be synchronous with existing socio-economic and land use planning so that HCMC can maintain the leading position in the country.
The Vice Chairman asked that until the end of this year, the general planning for Thu Duc City be finished to send to the HCMC Department of Planning and Architecture (HCMC-DPA) to add to HCMC’s one. Meanwhile, this department is assigned to investigate successful mega-city models in the world in order to apply to HCMC after reviewing its current technological facilities and social-legal status. This will minimize disturbance to people’s lives and business activities.
The urgent task at present is for the department to cooperate with related state agencies to fully integrate necessary information related to land and traffic into HCMC general planning to submit to the Prime Minister for approval by the middle of 2023.
