The HCM City People’s Committee has asked the city Department of Planning and Architecture to draw up a draft regulation on management of construction works . . .

The newly-finished East-West Avenue now open to traffic. The quality of the construction work on three vital HCM City roads will be strictly checked.

Speaking at a working session held on Wednesday with the Department of Planning and Architecture, Le Hoang Quan, chairman of the city People’s Committee, said regulations on comprehensive planning would play an important part in creating a beautiful landscape for the city.

According to the city’s Department of Planning and Architecture, the regulations on architectural management in these areas would consider aesthetics as well as effectiveness of land use to lure investment to these areas.

No new construction

The draft regulation would also help to improve the natural environment and assist residents in repairing or building new houses.

While waiting for the regulation to be issued, residents living in these areas would still be allowed to build new houses or repair houses in accordance with a decision for building in residential areas.

However, until the regulation is issued, new houses would not be permitted in areas that are planned for major construction works.

Under the regulation, many projects that are selling plots to build houses will be shifted to high-rise buildings, while many other high-rises would be rebuilt or designed to be appropriate for the city landscape.

According to chairman Quan, the Department of Planning and Architecture needs to focus on the East - West Highway first, and must submit the draft regulation on the highway to the city committee by the end of May.

Meanwhile, the deadline for submitting the draft regulations on the architectural management of construction works on Tan Son Nhat - Binh Loi Road and Ha Noi Highway is the third quarter of this year.

Quan said the department also must consider conditions to develop tourism and waterway transport along the Tau Hu - Ben Nghe Canal, which extends to Doi - Te Canal.

He noted that the Tau Hu - Ben Nghe canal, which runs along the East - West Highway, starts from Nha Rong Wharf and goes through districts 5 and 6, where there are many old construction works in the city.

It then connects with Doi - Te Canal towards the southeastern area. It is also a key waterway that links HCM City with southeastern provinces, which would help to develop tourism.

Quan also asked the HCM City Association of Architects and the Viet Nam Association of Architects to comment on the draft regulation before submitting it to the HCM City People’s Council.

Quan emphasised that construction works along the East - West Highway must have the historical value of hundreds of years, while other works need to be rebuilt or newly built to become more beautiful and modern.

Materials used in these construction works should be environmentally friendly and help save energy, Quan added.

In order to speed up the process of drawing up draft regulations for the three roads, Quan has asked the city’s Department of Planning and Architecture to chair the steering committee.

The city’s Department of Planning and Investment has been asked to co-ordinate with the Department of Planning and Architecture to research and give suggestions on how to attract more investment in these areas.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News