Chairman of the Viet Nam Urban Planning and Development Association, Nguyen The Ba, spoke with Thoi bao Kinh te Viet Nam (Vietnam Economic Times) about urgent problems in urban planning.

How will you describe the current situation in urban planning?

There is chaos and a lack of responsibility in planning and managing urban constructions. While foreigners visiting Viet Nam are surprised by our economic achievements, they are also surprised by the chaos in our urban development. We should seriously think about it and find the right solutions for the problem.

What are the reasons for such a situation?

First, there are disagreements between managers, architects and builders. They have different viewpoints and understanding.

Quite a few of these professionals ignore planning, intentionally violate planning regulations and cause difficulties to urban planning in general. Though the State has spent a huge amount in building roads, some of them considered the world’s most expensive, they have failed to make urban areas modern and beautiful as expected because of lack of supervision.

While citizens have tended to build their homes without any planning or order, municipal administrations have shown little responsibility in addressing daily problems. Meanwhile, planning officials are increasingly finding their hands tied, and building regulations and urban development works are moving at a slow pace.

These have resulted in making the urban landscape ugly in many areas, especially in major cities like HCM City, Ha Noi, Hai Phong and Da Nang.

What are your thoughts on "suspended projects" and "suspended planning"?

These show people’s dissatisfaction about building plans, projects and their investors. However, people have come to misunderstand this definition or use it wrongly.

Urban planning, both short-term and long-term plans, must forecast socio-economic development over a period of time. Without a vision, it is difficult to implement the urbanisation process well.

While planning, some projects have to be carried out immediately, some others in long term. Everything cannot be done in just two or three years.

Urban planning is a process that needs harmonious and systematic development through different periods of time. Local administrations and planners must maintain continuity in planning processes and make them transparent so that the plans are not manipulated for selfish or immediate interests. Temporary plans with short-term perspectives should not be made.

Many land disputes have risen in urban areas after overall plans were completed. Good plans should have long-term perspective and promote sustainable development.

In recent years, land prices have climbed higher than the average income of the people. This has caused great difficulties in land allocation and land clearance, delaying many projects or stopping them altogether. This has to be taken seriously.

Are there many new "slums" coming up in urban areas?

Lack of planning and short-term targets of investors have resulted in cities losing land meant for public facilities, planting trees, and infrastructure projects such as transport, electricity and water supply.

While many investors are unaware of long-term consequences, residents are left without public services.

The current planning process is seriously threatening the urban environment as projects undertaken without proper planning have created densely populated areas.

With the urban population expected to reach 46 million by 2010, accounting for 45 per cent of the population, these densely populated areas could easily turn into new "slums." We should make all efforts to prevent this from happening.

Source: Vietnam Economic Times