There needs to be a specialized TOD agency when building metro.

Scene of the discussion. Photo: QUOC HUNG

The event aims to promote the process of building and perfecting appropriate policies and mechanisms to accelerate the development of the public transport system, contributing to the formation of urban areas according to the TOD model (Transit-Oriented Development).

At the seminar, Dr. Tran Du Lich , Chairman of the Advisory Council for the implementation of Resolution 98, suggested many important contents for delegates to comment on. In particular, he especially emphasized the groups of solutions for metro development in Ho Chi Minh City, including mobilizing capital sources proactively, shortening construction procedures and processes, converting the project implementation model to flexibility and clear decentralization; developing the domestic railway industry, from material production, technology to human resource training, and exploiting land funds according to the TOD model to optimize capital sources and urban planning.

According to Dr. Tran Du Lich, major challenges include the short project implementation time, the need to accelerate progress from 35km per year, converting construction methods from old to new, and clearly identifying public, private or PPP investment sources, in which public investment is expected to account for the majority.

In addition, specific policies are proposed to suit urban and local laws, to promote planning, socio-economic development, decentralization and clear responsibilities in implementation. The goal is to simultaneously implement 7 metro lines in the 2027-2028 period, improve efficiency, reduce time and promote sustainable development of the urban transport system and the domestic railway industry.

Building the back line to promote the front line. Photo: QUOC HUNG

According to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Construction, by 2035, 7 metro lines will be built, with a total length of 355km, with a total investment of about 40.2 billion USD; in phase 2045, 3 new lines will continue to be expanded, 155km long, with a total investment of about 17.9 billion USD.

To achieve these goals, Ho Chi Minh City plans to mobilize a large amount of capital, focusing mainly on the city budget, credit loans, local government bonds, public-private partnerships (PPP), and other support sources from the central and international levels.

Experts say that the implementation of 11 TOD locations planned for the coming time still has many shortcomings. One of the major challenges is that the legal framework is still overlapping and lacking synchronization between urban planning, transportation, and land use, leading to difficulties in integrating projects in the direction of TOD.

The land acquisition, land valuation and compensation mechanisms are still inadequate, causing delays in site clearance. Attracting the private sector and public-private partnerships is still limited due to inadequately attractive regulations and a lack of clear incentive policies suitable for large transport infrastructure projects.

In addition, management capacity and experience in implementing large-scale projects are still limited; there is a lack of experts in planning, designing, and managing TOD projects. High land clearance costs, causing great financial pressure, are also significant barriers. Existing transport infrastructure is not synchronous and not strong enough to meet the requirements of the TOD model, leading to spontaneous and fragmented development in some areas, not fully exploiting the benefits of the public transport system.

To overcome these difficulties, experts proposed many solutions, including perfecting a synchronous legal framework, improving inter-sectoral and inter-level capacity, and strengthening coordination in planning, investment, and project management.

Associate Professor, Dr. Vu Anh Tuan, Director of the Center for Transport Research, Vietnam-Germany University , recommended that a specialized agency should be established to implement TOD. International consultants should be invited to participate in TOD development.

Along with that, policies on land recovery, land valuation, capital reallocation, and legal framework related to public-private partnership need to be urgently completed, creating a clear and attractive legal corridor to attract investors and promote the development of TOD projects. Prioritize investment in later metro lines to promote the previous lines...

QUOC HUNG

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/can-co-co-quan-chuyen-trach-tod-khi-xay-dung-metro-post797128.html