A joint venture between Deo Ca Group and Van Phu Invest has proposed that the Hanoi municipal government study the development of an 84-kilometer monorail line along the planned Red River scenic boulevard.

In a preliminary report on the Red River Boulevard and Landscape Project, the Deo Ca - Van Phu Invest joint venture outlined a vision for an approximately 80-kilometer elevated road corridor running along both sides of the Red River, stretching from Hong Ha Bridge to Me So Bridge. The proposed road would feature six lanes for motorized traffic, including 67 kilometers of viaduct and 10 kilometers of underground passages.

A major update to the proposal, compared to the version submitted two months earlier, is the addition of a monorail line running parallel to the scenic boulevard. The project’s total proposed investment is 300 trillion VND, or around 12.2 billion USD.

In addition to transportation infrastructure, the project includes plans to develop approximately 3,300 hectares of riverside land for green space, eight public parks, and community areas. The goal is to transform the Red River banks into a vibrant landscape for services and tourism, reversing the long-standing trend of the city turning its back on the river and achieving a so-called “Red River miracle.”

The investors propose splitting the initiative into three independent projects under different investment models. These would include a public investment project for land clearance to be handled by Hanoi’s People’s Committee, a public-private partnership (PPP) project for the boulevard and landscape, and a PPP project for the Red River monorail.

As previously reported by Tien Phong, in June 2025, the Deo Ca - Van Phu consortium first submitted its idea to build a Red River boulevard and landscape project along both riverbanks.

Based on field surveys and an analysis of the existing transportation network, terrain, and ecosystems, the consortium developed a detailed, integrated plan for a dual-boulevard system along the river corridor.

According to the proposal, this strategic “backbone” would span 7,800 hectares and extend approximately 40 kilometers (20 kilometers along each side of the Red River), passing through 13 urban and suburban districts in Hanoi.

The plan received approval from the Hanoi People’s Committee for further research under a public-private partnership model using a build-transfer (BT) contract.

Commenting on the proposal, some urban planning experts and architects welcomed the vision for infrastructure improvement in the capital, particularly in terms of transportation development.

However, several experts also raised concerns about the legality and practicality of building road and rail infrastructure within the Red River’s flood drainage corridor and dike protection zone. They noted that the proposed use of 7,800 hectares of land along riverbanks and dikes could potentially conflict with Vietnam’s Law on Dikes.

“The project appears to intrude into flood drainage and dike protection corridors as defined by law,” one architect said. “Yet the proposal does not present any clear solutions for aligning with the current legal and environmental frameworks.”

PV