Proposal to build Ho Chi Minh City's Ring Road 5 to open up more development space

On the morning of January 31, the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee held a scientific workshop to provide comments on the draft planning of Ho Chi Minh City for the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050. The event was attended by experts, scientists and representatives of local leaders in the region.

At the conference, Mr. Nguyen Van Danh, Vice Chairman of Binh Duong Provincial People's Committee, said that the province is proposing that Ho Chi Minh City include Ring Road 5 in its planning, connecting with Tay Ninh, Binh Duong, Binh Phuoc and the Central Highlands provinces. In addition to reducing traffic congestion, Ho Chi Minh City's Ring Road 5 in the future also has the meaning of creating new development space.

Đề xuất làm vành đai 5 TPHCM để mở thêm không gian phát triển - 1 — Map of Ho Chi Minh City's beltway routes according to current planning (Graphic: Nga Trinh).

"If we do not invest soon, it is predicted that Binh Duong province will become a huge bottleneck in the future. Meanwhile, this is the gateway connecting the region with the Central Highlands province," Mr. Nguyen Van Danh analyzed.

At the conference, architect Ngo Viet Nam Son suggested that Ho Chi Minh City could consider separating Binh Chanh district by the Ho Chi Minh City - Trung Luong expressway. One part would be combined with Nha Be district, District 7 to form the southern city; the remaining part would be combined with Hoc Mon district, Cu Chi district to form the northern city.

According to Mr. Ngo Viet Nam Son's plan, Ho Chi Minh City will include the existing central urban area and 3 cities within the city: Thu Duc City, the Southern City, and the Northern City.

"Such division is not simply based on area and urban management, but how it will impact the economy and society of Ho Chi Minh City in the future," Mr. Son shared.

Đề xuất làm vành đai 5 TPHCM để mở thêm không gian phát triển - 2 — Experts give suggestions on separating Binh Chanh district to form two cities under Ho Chi Minh City (Photo: Hai Long).

Currently, Thu Duc City is representing Ho Chi Minh City in cooperation with the three provinces of Binh Duong, Dong Nai, and Ba Ria - Vung Tau. Experts say that this is the quadrilateral axis that contributes the most to the budget.

In addition, the southern city will play a role in developing the marine economy. The northern city promotes economic development with Cambodia and the Mekong Delta.

According to the draft planning of Ho Chi Minh City for the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050 by the consulting unit, Ho Chi Minh City will be organized into 5 urban areas.

The first is the existing central urban area with 5-6 million people, which is an administrative, foreign affairs, commercial, service, knowledge-based economic, and creative urban area.

The second is Thu Duc City with 3 million people. The area focuses on creative urban areas, education, training, high-tech industry, financial center, healthcare, and eco-tourism.

The third is the northern city with 4-5 million people. This area is an urban area of entertainment, culture, resort, health care, environmental and agricultural services, leading industrial production, supporting and training technology serving agriculture and environmental ecological technology.

The fourth is the western city with 2-3 million people. This place is oriented to be an industrial urban area, commercial services, technology and health care services, a center for biomedical chemistry and pharmacy, education and training.

The fifth is the southern city with 3-4 million people. This will be a high-tech urban area, water ecology, knowledge economy, culture and art, exhibitions, fairs, entertainment, eco-tourism, industry, logistics, and marine economic center.

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