Nearly 25 years of anxiety over the planning of Ma Lang area

More than 7,200 people in Ma Lang live "in limbo" in the heart of Saigon as this place is planned to be a commercial center, high-rise building... but for more than two decades the project has not been able to be implemented.

As one of the long-time residents of Ma Lang, Mr. Pham Ngoc Khanh followed his mother to Ma Lang area in 1970. The previous owner divided the ground floor house they were living in and sold 24 square meters to his family. At that time, there were many graves around the house.

The mother passed away, the house was left to him and his sister, but due to planning issues and a decision to reclaim the land for a project, the transfer was prohibited. With unstable jobs and low incomes, both families could not afford to buy a new place to live separately. The ground floor house of less than 30 square meters with a makeshift mezzanine made of plywood became the shelter for 8 people.

Mr. Pham Ngoc Khanh cooks in the attic, which is also the sleeping place of his family of four. Photo: Le Tuyet — Mr. Pham Ngoc Khanh cooks in the attic, which is also the sleeping place of his family of four. Photo: *Le Tuyet*

Ma Lang area, also known as Nguyen Cu Trinh quadrangle, has an area of nearly 7 hectares, bounded by 4 routes Nguyen Trai - Cong Quynh - Tran Dinh Xu - Nguyen Cu Trinh, District 1, right next to Bui Vien Western Street. This place used to be a cemetery, then the city relocated it, since then many people came to live and it became a residential area in the city center.

Ms. Pham Huyen Son, 48 years old, Mr. Khanh's sister, said that she had prepared land documents more than a dozen times to serve the measurement, dialogue on clearance and compensation with the government and investors. She also went with the group to visit the resettlement area in Binh Chanh "but in the end, the whole family has been living temporarily for decades" because the project has not been implemented and the city has changed investors twice.

Accordingly, since 2000, Ho Chi Minh City has planned to clear the Ma Lang area to beautify the urban area and assigned Saigon Real Estate Corporation to implement it, but it failed. Seven years later, the project was transferred to Bitexco Group to implement the complex of hotels, office buildings, and commercial centers. However, the project continues to be suspended.

Last year, the city government issued a document rejecting Bitexco's proposal because "there was no basis to consider the proposal to continue implementation." Now, the project has been revoked, but Ho Chi Minh City still maintains the planning for the Ma Lang area and assigned the Department of Planning and Investment to take the lead in finding a new investor.

"I hope the city will find an investor and compensate us properly so we can have money to find a decent place to live," Mr. Khanh said as the smell of fried fish filled the dilapidated attic, which is also the sleeping quarters of his family of four. The 55-year-old man could not hide his worry that when his nephew reaches the age of marriage, "if another family comes along, the house will become even more stuffy."

Mr. Tran Giang, who has lived in Ma Lang for nearly 55 years. Photo: Le Tuyet — Mr. Tran Giang, who has lived in Ma Lang for nearly 55 years. Photo: *Le Tuyet*

Arriving at Ma Lang area at the same time as Mr. Khanh, Mr. Tran Giang said that when he heard the news that the city rejected the investment decision with Bitexco and the district revoked the land reclamation notice, he was only "half happy" because the people were still "not free from suffering".

According to Mr. Giang, the city revoked the project but Ma Lang is still a planned area, in need of urban clearance and renovation, so new houses cannot be built, only permission to repair. For nearly 25 years, the ground floor house of nearly 100 square meters has not only been the residence of 10 members of three families but also the business and grocery store of his wife and two grandchildren.

The man, who is about to turn 60, said that if the planning had not been implemented, the house, which is 5 meters wide and 20 meters long, could have been built solidly with 3-4 floors, enough space for all the members. Dozens of people would not have had to cram into a cramped ground floor for decades.

"When the economy was developing, investors could not implement projects. We do not know when the people of Ma Lang will stop worrying," said Mr. Giang, recalling the dialogues with the government and investors about the plan for clearance, resettlement, compensation prices... "the atmosphere was always as tense as a bowstring".

Ma Lang area with thousands of dilapidated houses located in the center of District 1. Photo: Quynh Tran — Ma Lang area with thousands of dilapidated houses located in the center of District 1. Photo: *Quynh Tran*

According to data from the People's Committee of District 1, in 2017, to prepare for compensation and site clearance for the Bitexco investor's project, the locality organized measurements and counting of the entire area. Nguyen Cu Trinh Quadrangle has 1,363 affected households with 7,228 people living there.

The smallest apartment is only over 3 square meters wide. There are over 180 apartments with an area of less than 10 square meters, if we count the area of less than 30 square meters, this number is up to 758. The core area of the area is densely populated, with dilapidated and crowded houses. People are mainly street vendors, freelancers... At the time of the survey, most of the apartments did not meet the requirements for minimum living, traffic, hygiene, environment, fire prevention and fighting...

Regarding infrastructure, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Phat, Head of the Urban Management Department of District 1, said that the Nguyen Cu Trinh quadrangle has been planned, there was a period when investors were found, the locality had decided to reclaim the land so this area did not receive new infrastructure investment. "The roads are small, narrow, winding, and have deteriorated over time. The locality only maintains them by repairing them if people request it," Mr. Phat said.

Location of Ma Lang area. Graphics: Khanh Hoang — Location of Ma Lang area. Graphics: *Khanh Hoang*

Ms. Hoang Thi To Nga, Deputy Secretary of District 1, said that the Nguyen Cu Trinh quadrangle is planned as a complex with many functions such as offices, housing, etc. Households whose land falls in the planned housing area want to be granted permission to build houses and continue to stay. Other cases hope that the city will soon find an investor to implement the project. People are willing to leave but hope to be compensated properly and have a final solution to stabilize their lives.

Regarding the search for new investors, Ms. Le Thi Huynh Mai, Director of the Department of Planning and Investment of Ho Chi Minh City, said that the Government has issued Decree 23 related to bidding for projects using land managed by the State. On this basis, the Department will coordinate with relevant departments, agencies and units to conduct research to soon find suitable investors to implement the project.

"As a local, I am also upset, but finding a qualified investor who meets the required conditions requires time to research and review," said Ms. Mai.

Le Tuyet

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