One of the two municipalities is planned at the north of the Red River, while the other will be on the city’s western side. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — The capital city plans to develop two cities under its jurisdiction, one to the north of the Red River and the other on the city’s west side, revealed Hà Nội Party Committee Secretary Đinh Tiến Dũng. 

The North Red River City is expected to include Đông Anh, Mê Linh and Sóc Sơn districts, while the west municipality comprises the Hòa Lạc - Xuân Mai area. 

These urban areas are planned to become the new growth poles, which will also help alleviate the high population density in the inner city and propel economic growth in the outer districts. 

This plan was also mentioned at the 10th meeting of the 17th-tenure municipal Party Congress at the end of 2022. 

Hà Nội is also expected to submit the city planning for the 2021-30 period, adjust the city master plan to 2030, with a vision to 2050, and complete the amendment to the Law on the Capital. 

Regarding the city’s plan this year, Dũng said that Hà Nội set the goals to achieve all 22 criteria of socio-economic development, specifically with a 7 per cent growth in the gross regional domestic product (GRDP), and keeping the consumer price index (CPI) increase below 4.5 per cent.

Hà Nội will also accelerate the progress of infrastructure and key national projects, and soon put the Nhổn - Hà Nội Station metro line into commercial operation. 

Dũng said: “We must complete the investment process, land clearance and start the construction for the Ring Road No 4 - Capital region; and issue regulations to renovate and rebuild old apartment blocks. 

“We will also review and address land projects with slow progress.”

Speaking to the Lao Động (Labour) newspaper, Dr Đào Ngọc Nghiêm, an architect and the vice chairman of Việt Nam Urban Development and Planning Association, said that the two cities in planning are an appropriate move to relieve the pressure on the inner districts. 

However, he noted that learning from the case of HCM City’s Thủ Đức City, Hà Nội needs to develop a more specific development vision for these municipalities in the future. 

Without thorough preparations, bottlenecks might arise and hinder the growth of the capital city. 

Lưu Quang Huy, director of Hà Nội Urban Planning Institute said that there are many factors that motivate the establishment of the cities to the north and the west of the capital. 

The model of cities under the capital’s jurisdiction is seen as a solution for dynamic, flexible city authorities in attracting investment for development, thanks to their relative autonomy. 

This is also an intermediate stage to ease investment pressure and upgrade the city centre to a special urban area. 

Therefore, the planning for Hà Nội’s two municipalities is a step in the right direction for the capital’s urban development in the future, he said. 

However, the implementation process requires meticulous study and a proper roadmap for new breakthroughs, he noted. — VNS