Hanoi wants to create a 'Red River miracle'

The 105km-long Hanoi - Hai Phong Expressway, connecting Hanoi with regions such as Hai Phong, Quang Ninh, Hung Yen, Hai Duong ... is the driving force to promote urban development on both banks of the Red River - Photo: HONG QUANG

Many expectations have been placed on Hanoi 's strong development transformation in the new term. Hanoi is cherishing the aspiration to create a "Red River miracle" - a new symbol of revival, connection and sustainable development.

On par with the capitals of developed countries

In the period of 2021 - 2025, Hanoi has achieved many important achievements and developments. Of which, the economy grew at an average of 6.57%/year, 1.1 times higher than the national growth rate. The economic scale is estimated at about 63 billion USD, 1.42 times higher than in 2020, accounting for 12.6% of the country. GRDP per capita is estimated at 7,200 USD. Budget revenue always exceeds the estimate, estimated at 2.2 million billion VND, 1.8 times higher than in the period of 2016 - 2020, accounting for about 25% of the country.

Along with that, the work of planning, managing and developing urban areas, economic and social infrastructure systems are promoted in a synchronous, modern, smart and connected direction. Completing a number of key projects such as the two railway lines Cat Linh - Ha Dong, Nhon - Hanoi station (elevated section), elevated Ring Road 2, Vinh Tuy Bridge Phase 2.

Notably, since the beginning of 2025, Hanoi has started construction on 7 large bridges across the Red River, including Tu Lien, Ngoc Hoi, Van Phuc, Hong Ha, Me So, Thuong Cat and Tran Hung Dao. The number of projects started in one year is almost equivalent to the total of 9 bridges built over the previous century.

In an article before the opening of the congress, Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee Bui Thi Minh Hoai emphasized that entering a new development phase, besides advantages and opportunities, the context poses many difficulties and challenges for Hanoi such as accumulated bottlenecks, population aging, climate change, natural disasters, and epidemics.

According to the Secretary of Hanoi, implementing the direction of General Secretary To Lam at the working session on August 21, Hanoi has concretized and deployed seven strategic resolutions of the Politburo into the capital's reality.

By 2030, Hanoi aims to be a "Cultured - Civilized - Modern" capital, green, smart, a place where cultural quintessence converges, deeply integrated internationally, has high competitiveness, and has a development level on par with the capitals of developed countries in the region.

Along with socio-economic development goals, priority will be given to developing modern, smart and connected infrastructure systems to create development breakthroughs.

Including investment in a synchronous and diversely connected transport system with a long-term vision of an integrated inter-regional and international transport network: expressways, national highways, belt roads, gateway traffic junctions, bridge systems across the Red River and Duong River, urban railways connecting satellite cities with the central region and neighboring provinces; logistics systems connecting economic corridors and belt roads.

The large land fund on both banks of the Red River is the space for Hanoi's urban area to develop in a modern direction, towards the river - Photo: HONG QUANG

Financial and commercial center along the Red River

According to the conclusion of the Politburo on Hanoi's planning for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision to 2050 and the project to adjust the capital's general planning to 2045, with a vision to 2065, Hanoi is oriented to develop the Red River axis, turning this river into a new symbol of the capital.

In the orientation, the 18th Congress document of the Hanoi Party Committee sets the goal of forming large-scale financial and commercial centers on both sides of the Red River and researching the construction of a free trade center associated with an international airport.

In urban planning, construction and management, the Red River is identified as a green development axis, a new symbol of the capital; urban development follows the TOD model associated with public transport; inner-city rivers will be revived and pollution will be thoroughly treated.

Speaking with Tuoi Tre, delegate Bui Hoai Son (Hanoi) stated that the capital today is transforming strongly towards a knowledge-based economy, a creative economy, and a green economy. However, growth is only truly sustainable when it goes hand in hand with identity; when each project, each policy, each new urban area is imbued with the humanistic spirit of the thousand-year-old Thang Long land.

Culture must become the "soft geology" - the soil that nurtures all innovation, creativity and progress of the capital.

During that journey, Mr. Son said Hanoi is nurturing the aspiration to create a "miracle of the Red River" - a new symbol of revival, connection and sustainable development. If the "miracle of the Han River" has made Seoul the most livable city in Asia, then the "miracle of the Red River" will be a way for Hanoi to both honor its history and create its future.

The river is not only a landscape and ecological axis but will become a "cultural - economic - creative axis": a place connecting the ancient urban area with the new urban area, connecting people with nature, connecting the past with the future.

To do that, according to Mr. Son, Hanoi needs a new planning vision, considering the Red River as a "cultural vein", developing both banks into a green cultural - creative - tourism space, where heritage, art, architecture and community life blend together. That is also the way for culture to not only be preserved but also "live", to be regenerated in every breath of the city.

Architect Dao Ngoc Nghiem - Vice President of the Vietnam Urban Planning and Development Association, former Director of the Hanoi Department of Planning and Architecture - emphasized that the Red River has a special and long-standing role and position, associated with the formation of Hanoi. According to Mr. Nghiem, the issue of planning the Red River has been raised since the 1990s and there has been a plan to improve the current state of the Red River.

The issue of making the Red River the central landscape axis of Hanoi not only focuses on safety, but also on harmonious development, with connections with neighboring localities. He assessed that with the new bridges being deployed, the Red River will become the central landscape axis, not only connecting the two banks of the river, but also connecting neighboring areas to open up development space.

Mr. Nghiem emphasized that development should not only stop at both sides of the Red River but also focus on the areas around the dike, neighboring provinces, closely connecting with the centers on both sides of the river. At the same time, it is necessary to synchronously develop infrastructure such as the surrounding traffic system, combined with tourism development...

To successfully implement the plan, Mr. Nghiem said that the issue of capital is very important. Therefore, along with budget capital, there needs to be a policy mechanism to mobilize social resources for implementation.

Graphics: TUAN ANH

* Dr. Pham Dinh Doan (Chairman of Phu Thai Group, delegate of Hanoi People's Council):

Strong breakthrough in the new phase

To make a stronger breakthrough in the coming term, Hanoi needs to accelerate institutional innovation and governance methods, moving towards a creative - action - service government. Administrative procedure reform must be more substantial, shortening the time for processing documents and effectively implementing the "one-stop shop" mechanism for investment projects, while increasing transparency and accountability throughout the system.

Hanoi needs to prioritize developing transport infrastructure, dealing with flooding and environmental pollution - issues that directly affect the quality of life of its people. Urban development needs to be associated with smart planning models, encouraging public transport and green spaces, towards a modern, green and livable Hanoi.

* Delegate BUI HOAI SON (Hanoi):

Must be a model city

Hanoi is facing a historic opportunity to affirm its position as a cultural, civilized, modern, creative and livable capital. The 18th City Party Congress took place at a pivotal time, when the vision for the capital's development does not stop at expanding urban space or economic growth, but must aim at building Hanoi's people and culture as the spiritual pillar of development.

Therefore, this Hanoi Party Congress needs to put people at the center of all development strategies. Building Hanoi people in the new period - elegant, humane, creative, with courage and aspiration for integration. A city can only truly develop when every citizen feels proud, happy and has the opportunity to contribute to the community.

Economic development associated with culture is not only a strategic choice, but the only way for Hanoi to become a model urban area - both modern, humane, and imbued with the Vietnamese soul.

"The Hanoi boy is very muscular"

Talking to Tuoi Tre, architect Pham Thanh Tung, Chief of Office of the Vietnam Association of Architects, said that in recent years, the appearance of Hanoi has changed a lot. He assessed that if you were a young man, Hanoi would be very muscular because of the rapid urbanization process.

The urban landscape has changed very quickly in the last term. Hanoi has done big things with the second and third ring roads and is now building the fourth ring road.

Mr. Tung said that Hanoi is currently nurturing very large projects to create a "miracle of the Red River". If these projects are completed, he assessed that Hanoi will no longer be a city with its back to the river, but a city overlooking the Red River, creating a unique urban axis, landscape and tourism.

The center of Hanoi with the Red River and West Lake is developing rapidly with modern high-rise buildings - Photo: HONG QUANG

Focus resources on solving "hot" issues

Besides the noted bright spots, according to architect Pham Thanh Tung - Chief of Office of the Vietnam Association of Architects, Hanoi still has many "very troubling" issues regarding some inadequacies in planning.

In particular, through storms Bualoi and Matmo causing flooding in many places, Hanoi has exposed weaknesses in planning because the city has not been able to synchronize and connect above-ground and underground planning. "We have built a very grand, beautiful, and spacious urban area, but it is often flooded every time there is a storm. Although Hanoi has established projects, has large pumping stations, and invested in building a drainage system, many problems still appear," he said.

He believes that Hanoi is not currently interested in underground urban planning. Therefore, not only building drainage pipes, the city must build metro stations, underground shopping centers..., even planning to build underground water tanks. When doing so, Hanoi will create a connection between the planning on the ground and underground space, ensuring synchronization, not disjointedness.

"Hanoi is a city of rivers and lakes, but in the process of urbanization, we have filled in too many of them, so now there is no place to drain and store water. In the suburbs, the irrigation system has not been repaired or upgraded, these are things Hanoi must think about," said Mr. Tung.

Mr. Tung hopes that Hanoi needs to change its thinking in urban management, in which applying digital technology to management is a matter of special priority. For example, in the issue of flooding, technology needs to accurately forecast rainfall, drainage and warn of flooded areas. Along with that, it is necessary to study urban models that adapt to climate change. In particular, urban areas must be able to absorb rainwater, must be tolerant and adapt to climate change.

Architect Dao Ngoc Nghiem believes that one of the breakthroughs in the coming time for Hanoi is to develop synchronous technical infrastructure, combining new development with renovation, refurbishment and reconstruction. This is a very heavy task, but only then can we carry out the task of building a cultured, civilized, modern, and unique Hanoi, and then be able to compete with cities in the region.

According to Mr. Nghiem, the urbanization rate of Hanoi is currently only about 50%, and to reach 60% by 2030, it is necessary to make a breakthrough in developing technical infrastructure. He also specifically noted a heavy task that Hanoi must handle in the coming time: managing and developing underground space.

At a meeting with relevant units to assess the situation and discuss solutions to respond to flooding after storm Matmo in Da Phuc commune on the afternoon of October 11, Hanoi Chairman Tran Sy Thanh asked units to fly drones to survey the dike system and see all the defects in the existing dike systems in the capital. He said Hanoi is preparing a comprehensive project, public investment so that in the coming term, it will focus on dikes and connecting roads.

Regarding the issue of drainage in the inner city and suburbs, Mr. Thanh requested that units submit urgent projects to the city to handle flooding problems, so that city leaders can consider and approve them.

He pointed out that one of the main reasons for the deterioration of many rivers and lakes is that they have not been dredged for many years. In the near future, the city will immediately implement an urgent project to dredge rivers and lakes.

Pham Tuan - Thanh Chung

Tuoitre.vn

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/ha-noi-muon-tao-ky-tich-song-hong-2025101608134576.htm#content-4