A public officer at work in her document reception desk in Hà Nội. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Hà Nội's city government has directed its subordinate agencies to leverage artificial intelligence (AI) to prioritise and expedite the processing of critical documents, aiming to slash approval times by at least 60 per cent.

The move is part of a broader effort to accelerate the implementation of major projects, particularly those contributing to the city's Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) target for 2025.

Under the directive, agencies are required to label priority documents with a 'fast lane' stamp, ensuring immediate processing and significantly reduced approval times.

The agencies must also monitor the progress of 'fast lane' documents to prevent delays and hold accountable any units responsible for sluggish processing.

By March 25, all subordinate agencies are mandated to publicly disclose hotline numbers, official websites, email addresses, and social media accounts for receiving and responding complaints about deplays in 'fast lane' document processing.

Agencies must address such complaints within 48 hours of receipt.

Additionally, agencies are required to report their document processing results to the city's People's Commitee, the Department of Home Affairs, and the Public Administration Service Centre quarterly.

The 'fast lane' system will prioritise documents related to investment and infrastructure development, construction permits for large-scale projects, export and international trade, work permits for foreign experts and highly-skilled workers, and smart city and e-government development.

For certain projects, such as the renovation of Đông Kinh Nghĩa Thục Square, upgrades to roads around West Lake, the revitalisation of the Tô Lịch River, the construction of the Hanoi Biotechnology High-Tech Park and the Belt Road 4 project, agencies are required to process documents within 24 hours of receipt.

The city government expects these measures to help the city achieve its goal of surpassing 8 per cent GRDP growth by 2025, as outlined at the beginning of the year. — VNS