Lake of Sighs in Đà Lạt City of Lâm Đồng Province. VNS File Photo

LÂM ĐỒNG PROVINCE -- To reduce the population pressure on Đà Lạt, Lâm Đồng Province authorities should not expand it but build satellite areas around it, an architect has said.

Dr Bùi Viết Nam Sơn said vast areas are available for such expansion.

According to figures from the Lâm Đồng Province People’s Committee, Đà Lạt, which was designed by the French for some 110,000 residents, now has a population of almost 280,000.

Sơn said the new Đà Lạt would be a 21st century urban area with wide roads, greenery and tall buildings as against the narrow roads and ancient houses now.

Nature should be preserved and greenery retained, he said.

In major tourism cities like Paris, the historical central areas have been preserved while new urban centres are developed nearby, according to the architect.

However, Đà Lạt has untidy, deteriorating and densely populated places just like HCM City and Hà Nội do.

To ease the pressure caused by a burgeoning population, he said a large number of residents should be moved from densely populated places to newly developed urban areas such as Cam Ly, Liên Khương and Đức Trọng.

The most important task would be to create favourable conditions for residents to fully use and develop their ability. Based on these conditions, authorities should make development plans and adopt supportive policies to ensure the sustainable development for Đà Lạt, he said.

For instance, relevant state agencies should earmark places for construction of villas and high-rise buildings and farming, he said.

Those who want to build villas near the centre should pay higher prices while developers of projects in satellite areas would be supported by authorities to ensure their projects feasible, he said.

To relocate residents from the densely populated town centre, he said Đà Lạt must have other urban areas with comparable infrastructure and conveniences.

A new urban centre could be built in Liên Khương, which has an airport and a highway, with a new bus route launched to link it with the town.

Bảo Lộc, home to the handicraft of hand weaving and situated 120 km from the town, could also be chosen to develop a new urban centre, he said.

With its natural beauty and handicraft, Bảo Lộc would help attract more visitors to Lâm Đồng Province, he said.

The new and well-developed urban centres would not only ease the pressure on Đà Lạt but also help develop Lâm Đồng Province, he added.—VNS.