Chairman of Hanoi Transport Association Bui Danh Lien said it will be impossible for Hanoi to ease traffic congestion while it simultaneously continues to give planning permission to high-rise buildings at inner-city areas.
Traffic jam on a street in Hanoi
Lien made his comments following a recent proposal by Hanoi People's Committee to the municipal People's Council to use an additional VND2.16 trillion (USD102.8 million) to reduce traffic jams between 2016 and 2020.
According to the Hanoi People's Committee, the city has cut traffic congestion hotspots to 51 from 89 since 2012. However, the remainder still face serious congestion due the sharp increase in cars and inadequate infrastructure.
Bui Danh Lien said, Hanoi needs to ease the population in inner-city areas in order to ease traffic jams. However, in reality, more and more high-rise buildings have been built in these areas, so, it is difficult for the city to improve the traffic.
Nguyen Trai, Ho Tung Mau, Vu Trong Phung and Nguyen Xien have seen more serious congestion after a range of apartment projects were constructed.
In 2010, the prime minister requested Hanoi to tighten control over the construction of high-rise apartment projects in the inner-city districts of Dong Da, Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem and Ba Dinh to restrict population growth. However, since then, many projects have been built in these districts.
Hanoi now has a population density of 2,100 people per square kilometre, nine times the country's average.
Lien also said that the best solution for Hanoi was to lessen the use of private vehicles through developing public transport, particularly urban railways. "By 2030, Hanoi will have had eight urban railway lines which are expected to help curb the use of cars," he added.
