HCM City (VNA) - The Ministry of Construction said onJanuary 23 that  its adjustedconstruction master plan for the Ho Chi Minh City Zone to 2030 with a vision to2050 had been approved by the Government last month.

“With theofficial announcement, we hope that all eight provinces in the HCM City Zonewill publicly announce the construction master plan and invite stakeholders totake part in the implementation process,” Deputy Minister of Construction PhanMy Linh said.

“Based onthe construction master plan, localities should adjust their regional andprovincial master plan,” she said. “Related ministries and industries shouldmobilise resources to support localities in carrying out the master plan,especially in promoting satellite urban regions and industrial parks withclean, green and modern technologies.”

Tran VinhTuyen, Vice Chairman of the HCM City People’s Committee, said: “The officiallaunch of the construction master plan has helped HCM City cope with challengesrelated to infrastructure development, and closely link with neighbouringprovinces in the region to ensure quick and stable development.”

Under themaster plan, the HCM City Zone includes the administrative boundary of the cityand neighbouring provinces of Ba Ria -Vung Tau, Binh Duong, Binh Phuoc, TayNinh, Long An, Dong Nai and Tien Giang, covering a total area of about 30,404sq.km.

The zonewould expand towards the east and northeast in a compact urban model.

By 2030,the zone is expected to have a population of 24-25 million, including 18-19million people in urban areas and 6-7 million people in rural areas, with anurbanisation rate of 70-75 percent.

HCM City,which is the country’s largest economic centre, is expected to be a nuclearurban area and connect to and support other urban areas in the zone.

The plantargets developing the zone into a major Southeast Asian centre for culture,education and training, science and technology, and healthcare.

The plancalls for the city to be an international trading centre and a hub to linkeconomic zones and key economic zones in the South, the Cuu Long (Mekong)Delta, the Tay Nguyen (Central Highlands) region and the south-central coastalregion.

Indeveloping the zone’s transport system, the plan focuses on completingexpressways and belt road systems.

By 2030,new expressways, including Bien Hoa – Vung Tau, HCM City – Thu Dau Mot – ChonThanh, HCM City – Moc Bai, and Dau Giay – Da Lat, will be built.

By thattime, the city’s Belt Road No. 3 is expected to be operational, whileconstruction of the Belt Road No. 4 will begin.

Newrailway routes, including Trang Bom – Sai Gon Railway Station, Bien Hoa – VungTau, HCM City – My Tho – Can Tho, HCM City – Tay Ninh, will also be built.-VNA