Speaking with VietNamNet, Associate Professor Nguyen Thuong Lang from the National Economics University noted the city faces urgent pressure to restructure its development space. With core districts strained by population density, infrastructure overload and environmental degradation, decentralization is no longer optional.

Satellite cities must go beyond housing

Current urban plans center on easing population pressure from the heart of the city - especially inside Ring Roads 1 and 2 - by developing new residential zones in locations such as Dong Anh, Gia Lam, and Hoa Lac.

However, according to Lang, these satellite cities must be equipped in advance with comprehensive services, not simply built as dormitory towns. “New urban areas should not only replace housing, but offer better living conditions, from schools and hospitals to green space and essential public services,” he emphasized.

Crucially, relocation efforts will only be sustainable if people can find livelihoods locally. Forcing them to return to the city center for work would negate the traffic relief the plan aims to achieve, while raising broader social costs.

To avoid this, satellite cities must become real economic hubs - home to enterprises, tech zones, commerce and creative industries capable of creating high-quality employment.

Taking Hoa Lac High-Tech Park as an example, Lang noted that despite solid investments in transportation, education, and healthcare, it has yet to attract a significant number of inner-city residents. The issue, he said, is less about distance or lifestyle and more about the lack of a dynamic urban ecosystem and quality job opportunities.

“When the new place becomes a source of livelihood, people will move willingly, not reluctantly,” Lang added.

Metro must become the urban spine

Relocation is meaningless without a robust transport system, and metro development must form the backbone of Hanoi’s new mobility plan. Lang argues that only when mass transit - particularly metro lines - becomes the dominant mode of travel will decentralization to satellite cities become truly feasible.

New metro routes must efficiently link the city center to outlying areas like Hoa Lac, Dong Anh, Thanh Oai and the southern districts - ideally cutting travel time for distances of 30–40 km to just 30 minutes, to make them competitive with private vehicles.

So far, Hanoi has brought two lines into operation: Cat Linh–Ha Dong and Nhon–Hanoi Station. Others are under construction or revival, including Line 2 (Nam Thang Long–Tran Hung Dao), Line 5 (Van Cao–Hoa Lac), and Yen Vien–Ngoc Hoi.

But Lang pointed to slow progress and drawn-out construction timelines, which have eroded public trust. Hanoi, he urged, must adopt special mechanisms and new technologies to cut down build time, manage costs, and improve efficiency.

Drawing from experience in Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan, he stressed that satellite cities can be 50–60 km away from the center - as long as high-speed, affordable rail links are in place.

“Distance isn’t the main concern - what matters is whether travel is fast, safe and convenient,” Lang said.

Laying the foundation for a sustainable urban structure

Beyond the question of where people live, Hanoi’s urban restructuring is an opportunity to re-engineer the city’s traffic system in a more sustainable and scientific way.

One of the biggest bottlenecks is the lack of horizontal road links, which forces traffic onto a few overloaded arteries, creating severe congestion. Decentralization would allow the city to widen key roads and add secondary branches to connect flexibly with major corridors and the Ring Roads 2 and 2.5.

In Hanoi’s Old Quarter and historic districts, a “checkerboard” grid of new routes could ease traffic, enable urban renewal, and create space for public areas - improving the quality of life for residents.

“If done right, relocating residents won’t just reduce headcount in the city core - it will set the stage for a resilient and modern traffic system that supports long-term growth,” Lang observed.

This is, he concluded, both a golden opportunity and a complex challenge - demanding long-term vision, strong political will, and a cohesive execution strategy. Without it, Hanoi risks falling into a cycle of overburden and piecemeal development for decades to come.

 
Vu Diep