Hanoi is preparing to launch an ambitious riverside boulevard and landscape project along the Red River, with a proposed investment of 300 trillion VND (approximately $12 billion).
Experts say this megaproject will test the city's urban planning and governance capabilities, especially in balancing development with environmental safety and long-term sustainability - key pillars of Hanoi’s goal to become a “happy city.”
The Hanoi People’s Committee recently established a task force, led by Vice Chairman Duong Duc Tuan, to oversee the planning and implementation of the Red River Boulevard and landscape investment project.
Back in June, a consortium of Deo Ca Group and Van Phu Invest received approval to study and propose the project under a public-private partnership (PPP) model, specifically through a Build-Transfer (BT) contract. After two months of research, the consortium submitted its preliminary findings to the city.
According to the proposal, the project would span approximately 80 kilometers along both banks of the Red River, from Hong Ha Bridge to Me So Bridge. It would include 67 kilometers of elevated expressway, 10 kilometers of six-lane underground tunnels, and an 84-kilometer monorail (82 kilometers on elevated track and 2 kilometers in tunnels).
Rendering of the proposed Red River riverside boulevard project.
The plan also features 3,300 hectares of green space, eight public parks, and various tourism and service zones designed to create a scenic urban-tourism corridor.
Implementation is structured into three independent components: a public-sector site clearance project overseen by the city, a PPP project for the boulevard and landscape, and a PPP project for the monorail.
The target, as set by Hanoi’s leadership, is to break ground in January 2026, after completing all necessary planning and legal procedures.
Development by the river: Lawful, logical, and aligned with nature
Speaking to VietNamNet, architect Tran Huy Anh, Standing Member of the Hanoi Architects Association, noted that this project coincides with a historic shift in urban governance, where “happiness” has been officially written into the city's strategic documents for the first time.
“This is a new and bold shift in thinking,” Anh said, “especially when it comes to how Hanoi designs and implements large-scale urban projects like the Red River Boulevard.”
“Happiness isn’t just about hundreds of trillions of dong mapped out on paper,” he explained. “It comes from people feeling safe - free from floods, pollution, and natural disasters. As long as Hanoi suffers from flooding, drought, dirty rivers, or water shortages, no resident can truly be happy.”
He emphasized that for a “happy urban development,” projects along the Red River must pass five critical criteria: legality, physical logic, ethical justification, scientific basis, and rational decision-making.
“First and foremost, the project must comply with the law,” he said. “Any project along the Red River’s floodplains must adhere to the Law on Dike Management and Disaster Prevention, and the Prime Minister’s Decision 257 on flood control and dike planning for the Red and Thai Binh Rivers. Any violation could result in immediate misfortune for both people and property.”
The Red River during flood season. Photo: Hoang Ha
From a physical perspective, he argued that riverside areas are better suited for waterway traffic development than heavy infrastructure.
“No one eagerly builds roads, railways, or airports in low-lying flood-prone areas,” he noted. “Land reclamation on a large scale will not only incur massive costs but also push flood risks to other regions. When floodwaters come, tens of billions of dollars in investment could be swept away. How can that lead to happiness?”
Anh also stressed the need for a comprehensive scientific assessment of national water security impacts - both positive and negative - on the Red and Thai Binh river basins, home to over 30 million people.
“The Red River doesn’t just run 40 kilometers through Hanoi. It stretches more than 500 kilometers across multiple provinces and twice as long beyond Vietnam’s borders,” he said. “Its behavior is shaped not only by human activity but also by natural forces, far beyond our control.”
He pointed to the failure of several riverside development proposals over the past 30 years as cautionary tales.
“In 2024, Hanoi raised alarms about the risk of dam failures due to upstream water surges,” he recalled. “The city must be more cautious in an era of increasingly frequent and intense natural disasters.”
He added that modern cities across the world are also facing unprecedented challenges and are responding by conducting in-depth feasibility studies and development simulations - Programming & Massing Studies - before moving into detailed planning and project proposals.
“In the global context of ESG (Environmental - Social - Governance) frameworks guiding development, Hanoi must prioritize residents’ safety, quality of life, and happiness - not just economic targets - when planning such transformative projects,” he concluded.
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