Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính speaks at the meeting. — VNA/VNS Photo Dương Giang

HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính chaired a meeting of permanent Government members in Hà Nội on Saturday to review planning for the Red River Landscape Boulevard and an Olympic sports urban area, two flagship projects aimed at transforming the capital’s urban landscape.

The Red River Landscape Boulevard, designated as one of five strategic axes in the Capital Region Master Plan, is planned to span roughly 11,000ha and stretch more than 40km along the Red River through 16 communes and wards inside Belt Road No. 4. The project is expected to affect around 40,000 residents and carry a preliminary price tag exceeding VNĐ400 trillion (US$15.38 billion).

Hà Nội authorities have outlined a framework that includes about eight landscape and 12 thematic parks totaling more than 3,000 ha. The boulevard will help ease traffic congestion, curb pollution, improve flood control, improve urban aesthetics, and ensure seamless connectivity across all Red River bridges upon completion.

The city targets groundbreaking on December 19 this year, with completion slated for 2030, and has proposed special mechanisms on planning, investment, land clearance, and resettlement.

Hà Nội also approved planning tasks for subzones C and D of the Olympic sports urban area, covering a combined 8,200ha. Subzone C encompasses nearly 4,500ha across the communes of Ngọc Hồi, Nam Phù, Hồng Vân, Chương Dương, Thượng Phúc and Thường Tín, while subzone D covers more than 3,700 ha in Thanh Oai, Tam Hưng and Dân Hòa communes. Both will include sports facilities, housing, mixed-use developments, public services, schools, green spaces, technical infrastructure; and land for heritage and religious sites, defence-security, and agricultural production.

In his closing speech, PM Chính said permanent Government members had agreed in principle with the proposals. He described the projects as critical to building a “bright, green, clean, beautiful”, modern, and world-class capital, and instructed Hanoi and relevant ministries to refine plans for submission to the Government, its Party Committee, and ultimately the Politburo for final policy approval.

He tasked Deputy PM Trần Hồng Hà with spearheading the preparation of a detailed Politburo submission and urged authorities to propose any additional mechanisms or policies required. He also directed the city to develop a comprehensive plan for effective use of river surfaces, surface land, underground space, and airspace.

On technical issues like dike safety, mineral resource management, and environmental impact assessments, he stressed full compliance with existing regulations.

Both projects must break ground on December 19 to generate momentum for “a new era” in the capital’s development, he said.

Later, in his capacity as Secretary of the Government Party Committee, PM Chính chaired a separate meeting of its standing board to review progress of a National Assembly resolution on special mechanisms and policies to invest in the North-South high-speed railway and related preparatory work. — VNA/VNS