Decision No. 101/QD-TTg Approving the Master Plan for Transport Development in Ho Chi Minh City until 2020 and the Vision Beyond 2020

Pursuant to …;

Decision No. 101/QD-TTg of the Government Prime Minister approving the planning for transportation development in Ho Chi Minh City until 2020 and the vision beyond 2020

Ho Chi Minh City until 2020 and the vision beyond 2020

_________________________

PRIME MINISTER

Pursuant to the Law on Organization of the Government dated December 25, 2001;

Considering the proposal of the Ministry of Transport (report No. 5131/TTr-BGTVT dated August 22, 2005), the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City (document No. 7030/UBND-ĐT dated November 1, 2005, No. 72/UBND-ĐT dated January 5, 2007), the Ministry of Planning and Investment (document No. 9688/BKH-KCH&ĐT dated December 29, 2006), the Ministry of Finance (document No. 16492/BTC-ĐT dated December 26, 2006), and the appraisal report of the Ministry of Construction (report No. 44/TTr-BXD dated August 11, 2006).

DECISION:

Article 1. Approving the planning for transportation development in Ho Chi Minh City until 2020 and the vision beyond 2020 with the main contents as follows:

1. Scope of the Plan:

Including: Ho Chi Minh City and surrounding urban areas in the provinces of Binh Duong, Dong Nai, Long An, Tay Ninh, Ba Ria - Vung Tau within a radius of influence from 30 to 50 kilometers.

2. Objectives of the Plan:

To serve as a basis for building and gradually completing and modernizing the road, railway, waterway, and air transport network until 2020 and the vision beyond 2020, ensuring stable, balanced, sustainable, and long-term development of the city, contributing to making Ho Chi Minh City a national central city, the core of the Southern Key Economic Region, and a major commercial and service center in Southeast Asia.

3. Views and Contents of the Plan:

a) Views on the Plan:

- Urban transportation in Ho Chi Minh City is based on the land use and urban architectural landscape planning of the city until 2020 approved by the Government Prime Minister.

- Urban transportation in Ho Chi Minh City is planned according to the view of "open city," connecting new urban areas, satellite cities, industrial zones, key inter-regional traffic facilities (seaports, airports), closely linking with provinces in the Southern Key Economic Region and the Ho Chi Minh City urban area to support each other in synchronous development, maximizing the economic and social strengths of the entire region.

- The plan for development must ensure continuity and stability, minimizing land clearance at established urban areas as much as possible.

- Increasing land reserves for infrastructure construction in new urban areas, including dynamic and static traffic, so that by 2020, the urban land reserve (for the inner city area) needs to reach an average of 16-20%, reaching 22-24% by 2025.

b) Main Content of the Plan:

* Planning the road network

- Central radial roads

+ Renovating and upgrading existing central radial national highways (National Highway 1, National Highway 1K, National Highway 13, National Highway 22). Specifically, the section of National Highway 50 from Ring Road 2 into the inner city will be renovated and upgraded into an urban road and a new parallel route will be constructed.

+ Building expressways with high traffic capacity: Ho Chi Minh City - Vung Tau, Ho Chi Minh City - Long Thanh - Dau Giay - Da Lat, Ho Chi Minh City - Thu Dau Mot - Chon Thanh, Ho Chi Minh City - Moc Bai, Ho Chi Minh City - Trung Luong - Can Tho, Southern Regional Expressway Ho Chi Minh City - Nhon Trach.

+ Renovating existing provincial roads to support central radial national highways. Constructing a new West-North axis from Hau Nghia to Vinh Loc Industrial Zone; constructing Provincial Road 25C connecting Nhon Trach urban area with Long Thanh International Airport; extending the road to Phuoc An Port, building a bridge over Thi Vai River to connect the Cai Mep - Thi Vai port complex with the Southern Regional Expressway.

- Ring Roads

+ Upgrading Ring Road 1 into an urban road of Class I.

+ Completing Ring Road 2 in a closed loop according to control points: Go Dua Junction - Binh Phuoc Intersection - An Suong Intersection - Binh Thai Intersection - Kha Van Can Street - Go Dua Junction, with the scale of an urban road of Class I.

+ Constructing Ring Road 3 according to control points: connecting point with the Southern Regional Expressway in Nhon Trach District, Dong Nai Province - Tan Van Road intersection - Bien Hoa City Ring Road (according to Bien Hoa City Master Plan) - Bung Town, Thuuan An District, Binh Duong Province - north of Hoc Mon Town - Thanh Nien Street (along An Ha Canal, near Nong Trai Nhii Xuan, Nong Trai Le Minh Xuan) - Ho Chi Minh City - Trung Luong Expressway, connecting to the starting point of the Southern Regional Expressway in Binh Chanh District.

+ Constructing Ring Road 4 connecting satellite cities of Ho Chi Minh City in the directions: east of Trang Bom Town, Trang Bom District, Dong Nai Province - north of Thu Dau Mot Town - Cu Chi Town - Duc Hoa Town connecting to the Ho Chi Minh City - Trung Luong Expressway at Ben Luc Town - National Highway 50 - Hiep Phuoc Port Complex.

- Major Inner-City Streets

+ Constructing a new East-West Avenue following the direction: Cat Lai Junction - Thu Thiem Tunnel - Ben Chuong Duong Street - Ham Tu - An Lac.

+ Constructing a new North-South Avenue from Nguyen Van Linh Street to Hiep Phuoc Industrial Zone.

+ Renovating and enhancing the traffic capacity of major streets in the inner city in accordance with the approved urban construction master plan, limiting land clearance (underground or elevated solutions), suitable for specific conditions of each street.

- Elevated Road System

Constructing four interconnected elevated roads to solve direct-line traffic on axes with large traffic volumes, including:

+ Route 1: from Cong Hoa Junction along Cong Hoa Street - Bui Thi Xuan Street - Nieu Loc - Thi Nhe Canal and landing at Nguyen Huu Canh Street.

+ Route 2: from the intersection with Route 1 at To Hien Thanh Street extended along To Hien Thanh Street - Lu Gia Street - Binh Thoi Street - Lac Long Quan Street - Route 3 - Ring Road 2.

+ Route 3: from the intersection with Route 2 at To Hien Thanh Street along Le Hong Phong Street extended - Le Hong Phong Street - Ly Thai To Street - Nguyen Van Cu Street - Nguyen Van Cu Street extended - Le Van Luong Street - Nguyen Van Linh Street.

+ Route 4: from Binh Phuoc Junction along National Highway 13 crossing Sai Gon River - Vuon Lai Street - Nguyen Xi Street - Dinh Bo Linh Street - Dien Bien Phu Street connecting to Route 1.

- Traffic Intersections

Renovate and construct new major interchanges at different levels or at the same level, focusing on ring roads, radial roads, and main city streets.

- Large bridges and river tunnels

+ River Nha Be: Construct a new Binh Khanh Bridge on the Southern Regional Expressway.

+ River Long Tau: Construct a new Phuoc Khanh Bridge on the Southern Regional Expressway.

+ River Thi Vai: Construct a new Phuoc An Bridge on the Southern Regional Expressway.

+ River Dong Nai: Construct new bridges from upstream to downstream including: Thu Bien Bridge (Ring Road 4), Hoa An II Bridge (National Highway 1K), Long Thanh Bridge (Ho Chi Minh City - Long Thanh - Dau Giay Expressway), Nhon Trach Bridge (Ring Road 3) and Nhon Trach Bridge (Thao Dien - Nhon Trach - Long Thanh International Airport Railway).

+ River Sai Gon: Construct new bridges from upstream to downstream including: Phu Thuong Bridge (Ring Road 4), Binh Goi Bridge (Ring Road 3), Phu Long Bridge (Provincial Route 12), Tam Binh Bridge (Ho Chi Minh City Ring Road Railway), Binh Loi I Bridge (Route 2 Elevated), Binh Loi II Bridge (Ring Road 1), Binh Loi III Bridge (North-South Railway), Binh Qui Bridge (Thanh Da Peninsula), Sai Gon II Bridge (Hanoi Street), Thu Thiem I Bridge (Ngot Tat To Street), Thu Thiem II Bridge (Ba Son, Ton Duc Thang Street), Thu Thiem III Bridge (connecting District 4), Thu Thiem IV Bridge (connecting District 7), Phu My Bridge (Ring Road 1-2); construct two new tunnels to Thu Thiem including one for road traffic and one for metro trains.

+ Double Canal, Te Canal, Cho Dem Canal, On Lon Creek, Xom Cui Creek, Ca Creek: Construct new bridges from upstream to downstream, with locations and scales consistent with urban development plans.

- Parking terminal system

+ Renovate, construct, and convert existing terminals and build new ones to form a static transportation network, meeting the needs of public transportation and personal vehicle parking within the city. Prioritize building underground and elevated parking lots in established urban areas.

+ Construct intermediate cargo transfer stations at entrances and exits of the city center and along Ring Road 2.

+ Renovate and construct domestic customs clearance warehouses to meet the city's cargo transport needs.

* Rail transportation network planning

- National railway:

+ Renovate and upgrade the Thong Nhat railway section in Ho Chi Minh City from Trang Bom to Binh Trieu, including constructing a bypass south of Bien Hoa and a new elevated railway section from Binh Trieu to Hoa Hung - Tan Kien.

+ Construct a new Ho Chi Minh City - Bien Hoa - Vung Tau railway line, connecting with the Thong Nhat railway at the new Bien Hoa station.

+ Construct a new Ho Chi Minh City - Loc Ninh - Cambodia (Trans-Asian Railway) line, connecting at the Dian An station.

+ Construct a new western ring railway line from the An Binh train station to Tan Kien - My Tho - Can Tho.

+ Construct a new high-speed electrified double-track railway line from Ho Chi Minh City to Nha Trang.

+ Construct two dedicated railway lines connecting the national railway to the Hiep Phuoc and Cat Lai ports.

+ Construct new stations in the Ho Chi Minh City railway hub, including: Lep Tau and An Binh cargo yard, Binh Thang station (connecting to Cat Lai port), Go Vap station, technical passenger station Binh Trieu, Hoa Hung passenger station, and suburban passenger stations on the Binh Trieu - Hoa Hung - Tan Kien elevated railway section as well as on the Tan Kien - My Tho and Binh Trieu - Bien Hoa sections. Construct a new Thu Thiem station for the Ho Chi Minh City - Nha Trang high-speed railway line. Construct new stations on the ring railway line including Tan Thoi Hiep station, Vinh Loc station, Binh Hung Hoa station, technical passenger station Tan Kien, cargo and inland container depot (ICD) Tan Kien station, Long Dinh station (connecting to Hiep Phuoc Port).

- Urban railway:

Plan to combine the use of national radial railways for suburban trains and construct two light rail lines: Trang Bang - Tan Thoi Hiep, Thu Thiem - Nhon Trach - Long Thanh International Airport.

* Underground railway (Metro) planning

Construct six cross-city and ring lines connecting major city centers, including:

- Line 1: Ben Thanh - Suoi Tien;

- Line 2: Tay Ninh Bus Station - Truong Chinh - Tam Luong - August Revolution Street - Ben Thanh - Thu Thiem;

- Line 3: National Highway 13 - Eastern Bus Station - Xo Viet Nghe Tinh Street - Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street - Tran Phu Street - Hung Vuong Street - Hong Bang Street - Cay Go;

- Line 4: Ben Cat Bridge - Thong Nhat Street - March 26 Street (planned) - Nguyen Oanh Street - Nguyen Kiem Street - Phan Dinh Phung Street - Hai Ba Trung Street - Ben Thanh - Nguyen Thai Hoc Street - Khanh Hoi Street - Le Van Luong Street - Nguyen Van Linh Street;

- Line 5: New Can Gio Bus Station - National Highway 50 - Tung Thien Vuong Street - Ly Thuong Kiet Street - Hoang Van Thu Street - Phan Dang Luu Street - Bach Dang Street - Dien Bien Phu Street - Sai Gon Bridge;

- Line 6: Ba Queo - Au Co Street - Luu Ban Bich Street - Tan Hoa Street - Phu Lam Roundabout;

- Plan seven depots for the above six Metro lines.

* Light rail (LRT) or monorail planning

Construct three monorail lines running on surface tracks, including:

- Line 1: Saigon - Cholon - Western Bus Station;

- Line 2: Nguyen Van Linh Street from National Highway 50 (District 8) - District 2;

- Line 3: Go Vap Six-Way Intersection - Quang Trung Software Park - Tan Thoi Hiep Station;

- Construct three depots for the above monorail lines.

* Waterway transportation network planning

- Routes - Channels

+ Ship channels:

Long Tau River Channel: By 2010, renovate curved and sharp turns and the maritime traffic control system (VTS) to ensure safe navigation.

Soai Rap River Channel: By 2020, this channel will be used from the Long Tau River Channel and operated as a two-way tidal channel. The upper Soai Rap River maritime traffic channel will be developed to accommodate container ships with up to 20,000 DWT at the new integrated port in Hiep Phuoc.

+ Inland ship channels:

Renovate and upgrade inter-provincial routes:

Ho Chi Minh City - Ca Mau to Class III river standards;

Ho Chi Minh City - Kien Luong (via Rach Soi) to Class III river standards;

Ho Chi Minh City - Dong Thap Muoi (via Tuc Gac Long Xuyen) to Class III river standards;

Ho Chi Minh City - Moc Hoa to Class III river standards;

Ho Chi Minh City - Ben Suc reaches Class III river standards;

The shortcut connecting the Saigon River and the Dong Nai River meets Class IV river standards;

The shortcut from Thi Vai River - Vung Tau to the Mekong Delta meets Class III river standards;

+ Renovate and upgrade urban inland waterway transport routes:

Route 1: Saigon River - Ben Cat Canal - Cho Moi Canal - Nuoc Len Canal - Double Channel - Te Channel - Saigon River meets Class IV - V channel standards;

Route 2: Saigon River - Tra Canal - Xang Channel - Ca An Ha Channel - Cho Dem River - Double Channel - Te Channel - Saigon River meets Class IV channel standards.

- Port system

+ Do not expand development of ports along the entire stretch of the Saigon River and plan to relocate ports in accordance with the Detailed Planning Group of Sea Ports in the Ho Chi Minh City - Dong Nai - Ba Ria - Vung Tau region (Group 5). Relocation must be carried out according to a reasonable schedule, with appropriate policies to ensure the feasibility of relocation plans while avoiding congestion, waste, and minimizing negative impacts on production, business, and national defense and security. Ports to be relocated before 2010 include: Sai Gon New Port, Ba Son Shipyard, Khanh Hoi Port Area and Nha Rong Port Area, Tan Thuan Dong Port, and Fresh Produce Port. After 2010, gradually study the relocation of remaining ports within the designated area.

+ Invest in developing the Cat Lai Port Zone and Hiep Phuoc Zone to serve the relocation of inner city ports and meet the import-export needs of the region, industrial zones, export processing zones after the port, factories, and production facilities along the Dong Nai River, Nha Be River, and Soai Rap River.

+ The Nha Be Port Zone primarily serves the fuel oil import needs of Ho Chi Minh City and surrounding areas. Construct the Nha Be Comprehensive Port to facilitate the relocation of inner city ports and support the Hiep Phuoc Industrial Zone.

+ Build a passenger ferry terminal at the center of the Nha Rong - Khanh Hoi wharf area.

+ Study building a speedboat and passenger ferry terminal in Can Gio to serve tourism and exploit the Vung Tau - Can Gio - Ho Chi Minh City route. Construction must be closely linked with preserving the saltwater mangrove forest in Can Gio District and the riverside corridor along Lung Tau - Nha Be Rivers.

- River port system

+ Construct the Phu Dinh Port in Ward 16, District 8.

+ Construct the Nhon Duc River Port (located at the confluence of Ba Lao Canal and Dơi Canal) in Nha Be District to meet the cargo transfer needs via the Hiep Phuoc Sea Port Cluster from the Mekong Delta through inland waterways.

+ Plan for a passenger ferry terminal on the Saigon River near Thi Nghè Canal.

* Airport system planning

By 2020, Tan Son Nhat International Airport will become a regional and global air transit hub; renovate and upgrade to reach a capacity of 9 million passengers per year by 2010 and 20 million passengers per year by 2020.

Develop a project to construct Long Thanh International Airport in Dong Nai Province to commence construction after 2010.

4. Priority projects until 2010

From now until 2010, focus on implementing the following projects:

- Renovate and upgrade several radial routes: National Highway 1K, Provincial Road 43, Provincial Road 12, Provincial Road 10, Rung Sac Road, the North-South trunk road from the Hiep Phuoc Sea Port Cluster to Nguyen Van Linh Road, National Highway 50 from Ho Chi Minh City to Go Cong; construct a new parallel route from Ring Road 2 to Mr. Thin Bridge.

- Construct radial expressways: besides the Ho Chi Minh City - Trung Luong Expressway which has already commenced construction, urgently invest in constructing the Ho Chi Minh City - Long Thanh - Dau Giay Expressway. Other expressways need to continue research for investment under BOT, BT, BTO models.

- Complete Ring Road 2, Ring Road 1 section Tan Son Nhat - Binh Loi - Kha Van Can Junction and the connection from Ring Road 1 to Ring Road 2 (Kha Van Can Junction - Linh Xuan Junction), Ring Road 3 section Hanoi Highway - National Highway 22.

- Construct Elevated Highway 1: from Cong Hoa Intersection along Cong Hoa Street - Bui Thi Xuan Street along Nieu Loc - Thi Nghè Channel and land at Nguyen Huu Canh Street.

- Renovate and widen several main streets and intersections at the same level and different levels in the downtown area to address traffic congestion.

- Construct new Eastern Bus Terminal, Song Tac Bus Terminal, Western Bus Terminal, Xuyen A Bus Terminal, bus passenger stations, taxi parking lots; underground, floating, and elevated parking lots in central districts. Construct freight terminals for goods transfer at city entrances and exit points, domestic customs warehouses at Linh Xuan, Long Truong, and Tan Kien.

- Mobilize capital sources to start construction of one or two of the four priority metro lines (Line 1 Ben Thanh - Suoi Tien, Line 2 Tham Luong - Ben Thanh, Line 3 Eastern Bus Terminal - Phu Lam Roundabout, Line 4 Six Corners - Go Vap - Khanh Hoi).

- Pilot construction of a surface electric train line from Saigon - Cholon - Western Bus Terminal (along East-West Avenue).

- Renovate two maritime channels: Lung Tau Channel, Soai Rap Channel; construct the Hiep Phuoc Port Cluster, Nha Be Comprehensive Port, Cat Lai Port; renovate and upgrade inland waterway channels passing through neighboring provinces of the city and Mekong Delta provinces; renovate and upgrade two urban inland waterway transport ring routes 1 and 2; construct the Phu Dinh River Port and Nhon Duc River Port.

5. Mechanisms, policies, and implementation solutions

a) The People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City shall take the lead and coordinate with relevant ministries and sectors to study mechanisms, policies, and various forms of mobilizing capital sources to encourage businesses of all economic components both domestically and internationally to participate in building the city's transportation infrastructure system according to approved planning through BOT, BTO, BT, joint ventures as prescribed by law. This includes a capital mobilization plan through issuing domestic investment bonds, to be submitted to the Prime Minister for consideration and decision.

b) For traffic projects managed by the central government within the territory of the city that are decisive for the development of urban traffic in the city and the entire region but do not yet meet the conditions for investment implementation, the Ministry of Transport shall take the lead, coordinate with the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City and the People's Committees of related provinces to study financial mechanisms to be submitted to the Prime Minister for consideration and decision to implement land clearance, land recovery, and temporary management by local authorities to ensure the land fund for urban traffic development according to planning;

c) Allow the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City to mobilize all resources to develop urban rail into one of the main forms of public transportation in Ho Chi Minh City;

d) Organizations and individuals investing in and operating urban rail shall enjoy preferential policies for urban rail development as prescribed by law.

Article 2. Planning Management

Strictly managing the land fund allocated for traffic to ensure the feasibility of the planning is an urgent requirement under the rapid urbanization conditions in Ho Chi Minh City.

- After the planning is approved, the Ministry of Transport shall cooperate with the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City and the People's Committees of related provinces to widely announce the planning, determine the land boundaries for traffic, and hand over management to local authorities to avoid overlapping in construction permit issuance.

- For the underground railway network (metro), in addition to managing the land boundaries on the surface, the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City needs to direct relevant departments and local authorities to strictly manage the planning and issuance of construction permits for high-rise buildings and deep foundation structures along the metro route, determining and strictly managing the land fund for metro depots.

- The Ministry of Transport and the relevant local people's committees need to regularly direct inspections and audits of land fund management and usage for traffic, ensuring proper and planned land use. In cases of violations, they must firmly recover the land to ensure the land fund for traffic development.

Article 3. Implementation

1. Responsibilities of the Ministry of Transport:

- Take the lead and coordinate with relevant ministries, sectors, the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City, and the People's Committees of related provinces to unify responsibility allocation and develop plans for implementing national traffic transport development projects within their territories according to five-year plans, submit them to the Prime Minister for approval and implementation;

- Based on the approved planning, direct specialized agencies to manage and implement national traffic transport projects in the Ho Chi Minh City area in accordance with economic and social development needs;

- In case of necessary supplementation or adjustment to the planning, the Ministry of Transport shall coordinate with the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City and the People's Committees of related provinces to submit to the Prime Minister for consideration and decision.

2. Responsibilities of the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City and related provincial people's committees:

- Conduct reviews and adjustments to local planning and projects to align with the content of this planning;

- Coordinate with the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Construction, and related ministries and sectors to implement detailed planning for the development of the traffic transport system in the area, decide on the scale of construction projects according to the planning;

- Coordinate with the Ministries of Planning and Investment, Finance, Transport, and related sectors to determine investment capital sources and establish appropriate mechanisms and policies to ensure the feasibility of the approved planning.

Article 4. This Decision takes effect fifteen days from the date of publication in the Official Gazette.

Article 5. Ministers, heads of ministerial-level agencies, heads of agencies under the Government, Chairman of the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City, Chairmen of the People's Committees of Binh Duong, Dong Nai, Tay Ninh, Long An, Tien Giang, Ba Ria-Vung Tau Provinces are responsible for implementing this Decision./.