Hanoi plans to develop urban areas along Red River

Hanoi is looking to develop urban areas along the Red River, according to adjusted planning for 2045 with a vision to 2065 signed by Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha on Friday.

Under the adjusted plan, the Red River will continue as the core of Hanoi with urban development on both sides. Hanoi will also create cities within the city, similar to Thu Duc city in Ho Chi Minh City, such as the northern city of Dong Anh, Me Linh, and Soc Son districts; and the western city of Hoa Lac and Xuan Mai towns. In addition, Hanoi will build smart urban areas along Vo Nguyen Giap road, a road that connects the central area to Noi Bai airport across the Red River.

To achieve this goal, Hanoi will have to strictly control the development of high-rise buildings in central areas, implement urban renovation programs, and develop small-scale urban areas and suburban areas.

Other solutions include developing the Red River space, urban areas around the planned Ring Road 4, Transit Oriented Development (TOD) model near public transport hubs, and a second airport for the capital city region.

Moreover, to solve traffic congestion, the city will have to study additional main roads and bridges across the Red River and other major rivers.

The adjusted plan is subject to assessment by the Ministry of Construction in August and approval by the National Assembly in October.

The current plan was drawn up in 2011 and does not meet Hanoi's actual growth. For instance, the city's population exceeded eight million in 2019, higher than the projection of 7.3 million in 2020. The adjusted plan will cover all 30 districts of the city with an area of 3,359.8 square kilometers.

The plan had envisioned five satellite urban areas on the outskirts of the city: Son Tay, Hoa Lac, Xuan Mai, Phu Xuyen, and Soc Son, covering 25,000 hectares. These areas were meant to attract residents from the inner city and balance the development between the inner and outer areas of Hanoi.