HCM City construction and urban planning authorities hold a dialogue with businesses on October 31. —  VNS Photo Ngọc Diệp

HCM CITY — The renovation status of old apartment buildings and hurdles to obtaining construction permits were among the top concerns of the construction sector at a dialogue held with HCM City authorities on Thursday (October 31).

The dialogue, organised by the Department of Construction and the HCM City Investment and Trade Promotion Centre (ITPC), was attended by more than 230 executives from construction and related companies and members of the public.

The Việt Nam Consultant Association of Information, Economy and Trade (VCAIET) asked about the progress of renovation of decrepit apartment towers.

Lê Trần Kiên, deputy head of the construction department, said the city has assigned the task to district people’s committees, who have identified developers for 11 out of 15 old apartments to be renovated and rebuilt.

Occupants of six of the buildings have been relocated, he said.

“Investors can contact district authorities for further information about the progress.”

An executive from Phúc Đạt Investment Holding Company in District 3 said his company had applied for a construction permit at the beginning of this year but has yet to get it.

An official from the Department of Planning and Architecture said since some construction standards had been amended, the licensing has been delayed.

His department needs to review and check with other related agencies and would reply soon, he promised.

The businesses in attendance had 11 questions in all for the city administration, and authorities replied to some at the event and to the rest in writing.

Other attendees also asked about long-delayed road widening projects, standards and regulations relating to condotel and officetel ownership, civil construction, urban technical infrastructure, urban planning and construction violations, changes to projects, and the assessment of contractors.

The organisers promised to provide replies to all questions raised at the event.

Since 2002, the city has held dialogues with businesses on 193 occasions to discuss difficulties faced by the latter and solutions to them. — VNS