An artist’s impression of a planned social housing apartment complex in the Mả Lạng area of central HCM City. — Photo courtesy of HCM City People’s Committee

HCM CITY — HCM City will start construction on 11 projects and inaugurate five others with combined investment of about VNĐ249 trillion (US$9.56 billion) around National Day, according to the city's construction department.

The projects are part of activities marking the 81st anniversary of the National Day on September 2, Trần Quang Lâm, director of the Department of Construction, said at a recent meeting on the city's socio-economic performance.

Of the 11 projects to be launched, five are transport projects, one is a technical infrastructure project and five are housing projects.

The largest is the Thủ Thiêm–Long Thành railway, with estimated investment of about VNĐ134 trillion ($5.1 billion). It is being developed by Đại Quang Minh Real Estate Investment JSC.

The 47.7-km railway will run through seven wards and communes in HCM City and Đồng Nai Province, with 18 stations, including two underground and 16 elevated stations. It is designed to improve connections between central HCM City, Long Thành International Airport and the city's eastern area.

The other four transport projects include upgrades and expansion of National Highway 1 and National Highway 13, as well as two sections of Ring Road 4, with combined investment of more than VNĐ24.8 trillion.

The National Highway 1 project will upgrade the section between HCM City and the former Long An boundary, while the National Highway 13 project will expand the road from Bình Triệu Bridge to the former Bình Dương boundary.

The two Ring Road 4 projects cover sections in the city's eastern and western areas, including a section linking the Sài Gòn River with Thầy Cai Canal. They have combined investment of more than VNĐ11.8 trillion.

The technical infrastructure project is the Bình Dương Water Environment Improvement Project, with total investment of more than VNĐ7.21 trillion ($275 million).

Five housing projects are also scheduled to break ground, including a social housing project under an urban renewal programme in the Mả Lạng and Chợ Gà-Gạo areas in Bến Thành Ward, with investment of nearly VNĐ16.37 trillion.

The Mả Lạng area, in the formerly District 1 area, has been earmarked for redevelopment for about 25 years, with the project changing developers several times.

Under the current plan, the area will include a social housing apartment building of about 38 storeys with 1,400 apartments, 93 low-rise houses and an integrated school. The Chợ Gà-Gạo area will have a social housing building of about 35 storeys with 760 apartments.

The largest housing project is the Bà Điểm Social Housing Urban Area, covering more than 191 hectares and developed by Delta JSC, with investment of more than VNĐ64.05 trillion.

Three other social housing projects are also scheduled to break ground.

Among the five projects to be inaugurated is the renovation and upgrading of the Hồ Chí Minh Museum - HCM City branch, with investment of nearly VNĐ69 billion.

The project was launched on April 29 by Saigon Sun Investment and Development Co Ltd under a public-private partnership model using a build-transfer contract without government payment.

Three school projects and a housing project for HCM City police officers are also scheduled to be completed and put into operation around National Day.

HCM City has launched 14 projects with combined investment of about VNĐ466 trillion since the beginning of the year, according to Lâm.

The city plans to launch more projects in the remaining months of 2026 following the National Day celebrations. — VNS