Creating a development space for Hanoi Capital worthy of its position in the new era

Part of the administrative boundary of Hoan Kiem district, Hanoi. Photo: Thanh Dat/VNA

Immediately after the Hanoi People's Council approved the plan to reorganize commune-level administrative units with 126 communes and wards, experts, managers, and people expressed that the reorganization plan was implemented carefully, thoroughly, scientifically, with appropriate and strict methods, in compliance with the law, ensuring comprehensiveness, synchronization, and unity in the political system. In particular, most people believe that the reorganization of commune-level administrative units has expanded Hanoi's development space in the era of growing with the country.

Creating a space for synchronous development

Over thousands of years of history, the Red River is the source of life, witnessing many changes and developments of Thang Long - Hanoi and now the capital Hanoi. The strips of land on both sides of the Red River gradually formed with unique terrain, landscape, natural resources... with great potential for economic and social development. However, in recent years, due to the fragmentation of administrative boundaries, overlapping in management, especially in areas bordering wards, leading to violations of construction order, social order; more specifically, the desertification of land has wasted resources for the development of the capital.

Typically, in the land areas along the Red River located in wards such as Ngoc Thuy (Long Bien District); Nhat Tan (Tay Ho District) ..., the situation of violating construction order, urban order, environmental sanitation still has many limitations. Accordingly, the merger of residential areas and natural areas along the Red River axis into Hong Ha Ward (new ward) in accordance with the policy just approved by the Hanoi People's Council has realized the aspiration of creating a new development space for this area. Obviously, the Red River is no longer a dividing boundary, but has become a "red thread" connecting, the center of a new, dynamic and potential urban space.

Specifically, Hong Ha ward was established on the basis of merging the entire natural area and population of the wards: Phuc Tan, Chuong Duong (Hoan Kiem district), Phuc Xa (Ba Dinh district); most of the natural area and population of the wards: Nhat Tan, Tu Lien, Yen Phu (Tay Ho district), Thanh Luong, Bach Dang (Hai Ba Trung district); a part of the natural area and population of the wards: Phu Thuong, Quang An (Tay Ho district); a part of the natural area (water surface area and sandbank in the middle of the Red River) of the wards: Ngoc Thuy, Bo De (Long Bien district). Hong Ha ward (new) has a natural area of ​​more than 15 km2, with a population of nearly 123,300 people.

Architect Tran Ngoc Chinh, Chairman of the Vietnam Urban Planning and Development Association, said: "In the zoning plan along both sides of the Red River, we have two very important traffic axes. I think the management of the urban system or urban management of the ward is one of the best opportunities for us to manage, develop and invest synchronously."

Director of Hanoi Department of Home Affairs Tran Dinh Canh said that the arrangement of administrative units is not simply about administrative boundaries but more importantly, it is about creating new space and new momentum for development; at the same time, thoroughly overcoming current limitations and shortcomings in reality.

Nhat Tan Bridge is a unique symbol of the capital Hanoi. Photo: Pham Tuan Anh/VNA

Many residents in Nhat Tan Ward (Tay Ho District), Chuong Duong Ward (Hoan Kiem District); Phuc Xa Ward (Ba Dinh District); Bach Dang Ward (Hai Ba Trung District) expressed their joy when the establishment of Hong Ha Ward will not only expand the space for cultural development but also economic and social development.

Mr. Doan Kien Dinh, Phuc Xa ward (Long Bien district), a flower grower at the foot of Long Bien bridge, hopes that after being arranged into a new ward, the flowers will spread along both sides of the river, instead of just a very small area as it is now; at the same time, creating a new development space, exploiting the landscape value of the Red River area and at the foot of the historic Long Bien bridge.

Mr. Nguyen The Anh, Nhat Tan Ward (Tay Ho District) said that the establishment of Hong Ha Ward is a vivid demonstration of breakthrough planning thinking, placing natural geographical factors and vital traffic axes as the foundation for development. According to the plan approved by the City People's Council, the administrative center of Hong Ha Ward has a favorable geographical location, synchronous economic and social infrastructure, especially the connection of the traffic system between the headquarters of the administrative unit and the residential community. The boundary of Hong Ha Ward with neighboring wards and communes follows the main roads, streets and the Red River, so it is easy to recognize in the field and convenient for the management work of local authorities.

Ensuring succession, long-term vision

Based on clear and scientific principles and orientations, the Hanoi People's Council has approved the policy of arranging the city's commune-level administrative units with 126 communes and wards. Accordingly, the planned commune-level administrative units have ensured a harmonious combination of inheritance, stability with innovation and development, with a long-term vision. At the same time, the scale of the new commune-level administrative units has ensured that the objectives are consistent with the management and governance capacity and the capacity, level of management, operation and implementation of the staff and civil servants at the grassroots level, creating a premise to promote the potential, advantages, expand the development space of localities, meet the goals and requirements of the socio-economic development strategy of the capital in the new period...

Through grasping public opinion, Chairwoman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of the city Nguyen Lan Huong affirmed that Hanoi has well implemented the principle of democratic centralism, the people have truly been placed in the position of the subject. The officials in the political system are all responsible. The city also forecasts the impact factors and has proactive solutions to be one step ahead, creating peace of mind for the people and businesses when implementing the arrangement of administrative units. Notably, the names of the new communes and wards are taken from cultural and historical places, retaining the names of districts and towns is a methodical, scientific, democratic and popular way.

The Red River alluvial area is located at the foot of Long Bien Bridge. Photo: Khanh Hoa/VNA

Secretary of the Party Committee of Dong Ngac Ward (Bac Tu Liem) Nguyen Van An shared that Dong Ngac is called Ve village, a famous village of scholars in Hanoi. Naming the new administrative unit Dong Ngac (based on the natural area and total population of Duc Thang ward and most of Dong Ngac and Co Nhue wards, and part of Xuan Dinh, Thuy Phuong and Minh Khai wards) ensures the elements of cultural and historical traditions; in accordance with the principle of prioritizing the use of one of the names of the administrative units before the merger to name the new commune or ward, minimizing the impact on people and businesses due to the need to convert documents.

Experts believe that the arrangement of commune-level administrative units of the city in 2025 will contribute to perfecting the institution of administrative units, operating effectively and efficiently; promoting all resources to promote socio-economic development, improving people's lives; ensuring national defense and security; maintaining political security and social order and safety, ensuring the development goals of the capital. For example, spaces of important political, military, historical and cultural significance such as Ba Dinh, Co Loa, Son Tay, Van Mieu - Quoc Tu Giam, Thang Long Imperial Citadel, Hoan Kiem... have been preserved in the arrangement plan of Hanoi's basic administrative units.

Or the area around West Lake was previously managed by many wards, but after the arrangement, it will be located entirely within the administrative boundaries of Tay Ho ward. The Old Quarter area, which preserves the imprint of the formation of Thang Long - Hanoi, will also be located entirely within Hoan Kiem ward, ensuring unity. In addition, the space of typical traditional craft villages such as Bat Trang and Van Phuc is carefully calculated to ensure consistency, without being divided, affecting management, construction and development. Therefore, this administrative arrangement plan is an opportunity for localities to transform, both overcoming limitations and opening up new development opportunities.

According to the Hanoi People's Committee, the results of the implementation steps in the implementation process show that the plan to arrange commune-level administrative units in the city has received high attention, support, consensus and agreement from the people of the capital. In particular, the plan to arrange commune-level administrative units of the city received 2,010,914 votes in agreement, and the opinions of voters and households on the proposed name of the unit after the arrangement reached 1,987,829 votes in agreement, equivalent to 97.36% and 96.28% of the votes issued. It can be affirmed that the above results demonstrate the high consensus and agreement of the people with the plan to arrange commune-level administrative units of the city in 2025.

Nguyen Thang (Vietnam News Agency)

Source: https://baotintuc.vn/ha-noi/kien-tao-khong-gian-phat-trien-thu-do-ha-noi-xung-tam-trong-ky-nguyen-moi-20250507133700251.htm