The Steering Committeerecently met with central agencies to assess the draft to the HanoiMetropolitan Region Construction Planning. Accordingly, Hanoi will bedeveloped into an integrated multi-polar megacity.
The expandedmetropolitan construction planning, according to Decision 1758/QD-TTg ofthe Prime Minister, covers nine provinces and original Hanoi. Theinclusion of Phu Tho, Thai Nguyen and Bac Giang provinces expands thecapital region by approximately 80 percent, with a natural land area ofover 24,314 square kilometres and a population of 17,495 million.
Tocomplete the scheme, the consultant - Urban and Rural PlanningInstitute - has worked with nine provinces and Hanoi city together withexperts in planning, health, industry and commerce and other fields.
Underthe draft planning, by 2050, the metropolitan region will be anintegrated multi-polar megalopolis with development driving complexeslike the high-tech training, research and development centre, theindustrial development centre (Thai Nguyen), industrial - service - ICD -logistic development centre (Bac Giang and Bac Ninh), and the humanresources training centre.
The new triangle will be formed byHanoi, Bac Ninh and Vinh Yen. According to the Urban and Rural PlanningInstitute, the metropolitan region planning will be more feasible, moresustainable and closer. This assessment is based on the perspective thatthe urban, industrial and logistics development of the metropolitanregion will be planned and its investment will be phased based ontransport infrastructure development and ensured access to newdevelopment areas. Planning orientations for economic and socialinfrastructure, tourism, education, agriculture, forestry and fishery,environment and other aspects are detailed in the scheme.
Remarkingon the consultant’s orientation to Ring Road 5, Transport DeputyMinister Nguyen Hong Truong said that the direction towards the south ofPhu Ly is more appropriate as it helps expand the space of themetropolitan region. He added that Ring Road 5 should not go furtherthan Tam Dao Tunnel since it is related to conservation areas, nationaldefence, security and high cost.
Representatives of manylocalities suggested that the scheme need regular industry andsub-region planning updates to make necessary changes to suit actualsituations.
A representative from Vinh Phuc province said that,according to the overall planning of Vinh Phuc province, the area ofindustrial parks is 7,000 ha but the metropolitan region plans only6,000 ha. Thus, the consultant necessarily takes a review and points outthe area and location of industrial zones to be shrunk.
NguyenVan Khoi, Vice Chairman of Hanoi People’s Committee, said the consultantneeds to update and assess the current state of socio-economicdevelopment of Hanoi and the other 9 provinces and review the couplingof approved specialised plans. He proposed an early regime forcoordination of the provinces in the region to carry out the planning.
Tothis point, the metropolitan region planning has been going for fiveyears. Therefore, it is very essential to assess what has been done todraw experience. With respect to financial and investment resources, theMinistry of Finance asked the consultant to make this matter clearer inorder to help localities with a legal basis for implementation andstudy investment roadmap and phasing because this is a long-termplanning.-VNA