Hanoi will become a modern city by 2030, President of the Vietnam Urban
Planning and Development Association, Tran Ngoc Chinh told the Hanoi Moi
(New Hanoi) newspaper.
Q: What do you think about the architectural changes Hanoi has undergone since 2008?
A:
The National Assembly’s decision to enlarge Hanoi’s administrative
border was a step in the process to turn the capital city into the
nation’s centre for politics, economics, culture and international
cooperation.
Currently, the city’s natural area covers about
3,350 sq.km with a population of nearly 7 million people. It has now
become one of the world’s largest capital cities.
Since 2008,
quite a number of new and well furbished urban clusters have been
established. Tall buildings and good infrastructure have made the city
become more elegant and beautiful.
Q: Can you explain the planned transition towards a civilised and modern city?
A:
Following the capital expansion, the government invited foreign
architectural firms to offer their ideas for the Hanoi Master Plan by
2030 and vision for 2050.
Responding to Vietnam’s request, many
foreign firms offered their bids. In July, 2011, the proposal by the
international consulting group of Perkins Eastman (USA) and Posco
EC and Jine (the Republic of Korea), or PPJ was officially approved
by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.
Under the PPJ master plan, Hanoi will have a “green corridor”, a national administrative centre and four satellite cities.
I
should say the PPJ plan has considered factors relating to economic
development, demographic changes, the environment and even future
projections.
Q: You are among those involved in the process of
developing the Hanoi Master Plan by 2030 and vision for 2050. Do you
think the master plan will respond to the city’s development
requirements?
A: After having the master plan, the next steps we
have to do are to develop the sub-plans and detailed plans for each
region/area or each sector. For example, the planning of the transport
network, the markets, water supply and so on so forth.
By now I
can say that our planning is very weak. It requires a good “conductor”
to make things running smoothly and harmoniously. As we all know, the
work of urban planning and management must always go together.
Q: In your opinion, what is the biggest challenge in implementing Hanoi’s master plan?
A:
I think the overlapping responsibilities between ministries and sectors
in urban management are the stumbling blocs for the city’s development.
Management
and competency of government officials at the grass roots level must be
improved so that they will be able to perform their duties as required.
And
last but not least, government officials, in what ever position they
hold, should show professionalism and integrity in dealing with other
people in one’s work.-VNA