VietNamNet Bridge – HCM City’s new administration has ordered a careful review of the city master plan and amend everything that is impracticable to ensure people’s lives are not affected by bad planning.

A park in HCM City’s Binh Thanh District. To fulfill its green space planning agenda through 2035, the city wants more parks and trees in inner city areas to improve the environment and urban ’face’. – Photo: VNA/VNS

The Party Committee and People’s Committee have instructed all relevant departments to assess all approved projects and make changes or cancel those that are infeasible or face financial problems.

They have been instructed to focus on master plans for green spaces and parks, public works, roadwork, and technical infrastructure.

“Most of these works were approved a long time ago, but without their financial sources or deadlines identified,” the Sai Gon Giai Phong (Liberated Sai Gon) newspaper quoted Nguyen Thanh Toan, deputy director of the city Planning and Architecture Department, as saying.

Relevant authorities would also evaluate financial sources to consider the feasibility of projects, he said.

“A project might be adjusted or even cancelled to suit the current situation.”

Many of the projects in the master plan have remained unfinished for dozens of years because of weak investors.

“The Government’s desire is to make a master plan that would create better living conditions with full technical and social infrastructure for the public,” Toan said.

To safeguard the rights of people living in zoned areas, he sought support policies from central and local authorities.

“If the rights of people living in [these] areas match those of others outside, there will be no more complaints.

“The Planning and Architecture Department will send staff to work with local district authorities and all works will be finished by the end of July.”

All projects with detailed, 1/2000 master plans that have stalled for over five years and with 1/500 plans for over three years would be reviewed, he said.

“The review is also mandated by the Urban Master Planning Law, which says master plans must be reviewed to ensure they are appropriate for the contemporary situation.”

The department plans to invite investors for 10 zoned areas along the Sai Gon River.

VNS