Dương Nội Urban Area in Hà Đông District, Hà Nội. Problems exist in mordern urban areas: technical and social infrastructure are not synchronised while qualifications and managerial capacity are less than required. — VNS Photo Đoàn Tùng

HÀ NỘI – Urban development statistics in Việt Nam show a relatively bright picture, especially in Hà Nội and HCM City. But there is already a price to pay for burgeoning development: urban social infrastructure overload.

To transform new urban areas into a sustainably developed and livable environment, mechanisms, policies and implementation must be changed.

According to many experienced urban programming experts, certain problems exist in modern urban areas: technical and social infrastructure are not synchronized while qualifications and managerial capacity are less than required. All of these problems create consequences.

Hà Nội’s Department of Planning and Architecture experts have demonstrated big shortcomings in developing new urban areas in the city. Those areas were not constructed in line with each other nor with a bigger long-term vision of the whole city.

The connection between new urban areas in the north and northeastern of Hồng (Red) River, including Bắc Thăng Long, Sài Đồng, Thạch Bàn and Đặng Xá was poor, making them quite isolated from each other.

Urban areas in the western and southern of the city which have built both residential and resettlement areas are now facing overpopulation.

Investors in the majority of urban areas have developed most of the land available. New urban areas usually provide living space for as many people as possible, while land usage for traffic, trees, sports, schools, cars and parking is kept to a minimum.

These calculations have led to overpopulation. Meanwhile, connections between the city centre’s infrastructure and surrounding areas were ignored or neglected.

Several projects cannot even be implemented because of  failure to plan properly.

Creating a legal framework

Deputy Minister of Construction Nguyễn Đình Toàn, said that the role and responsibility of real estate enterprises in planning and policy making needs to be addressed. Such enterprises implement planning and policy schemes, contributing to urban area development.

A legal framework for sustainable development is needed, according to urban development experts.

Legal remedies must solve pressing issues, including poor land management, lack of comprehensive infrastructure and urban services projects, environmental pollution, and land clearance.

The government needs to support real estate investment companies in raising capital to develop new urban areas. And the government needs to enforce building standards in urban construction.

The government should also issue regulations on investment and construction management of new urban areas, to ensure implementation according to the approved plan. -- VNS