Ho Chi Minh City's master construction plan, to be completed by 2025, has been approved by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, giving the city 6 new districts.

Ho Chi Minh City will have a modern railway network to ease the current transport jams – Illustration photo

The entire administrative boundaries of Ho Chi Minh City and 7 neighbouring provinces will be expanded in order to convert the city into an industrial, service, scientific and technical center in the region.

By 2025, the city is expected to have about 10 million residents and cover 100,000 hectares for urban areas. The six new districts will cover 35,200 hectares and be home to a population of 2.9 million.

The old downtown area will function as an administrative, cultural, tourist and service center. Meanwhile, the six new districts are reserved for modern urban quarters, underground parking lots, scientific-technoligical centers (800 ha in total) and industrial zones.

In addition, the city plans to allocate around 43,600 ha in its outskirts for agricultural production and three ecological belts.

HCMC will develop in harmony with its neighboring provinces such as Bình Dương, Binh Phuoc, Tay Ninh, Long An, Dong Nai, Ba Ria–Vung Tau and Tien Giang.

As planned, the inner city will stretch out within a 15km radius, paving the way for large-scale and polycentric development.

In order to further develop its transport, the city will upgrade the railway network; build aerial routes; dredge the Long Tau and Soai Rap Rivers; and develop Long Thanh international airport.

To address the issue of flood-tide, the city intends to build small-scale dikes and sea dikes while upgrading its drainage systems.