Planning is there, demand is still increasing, cars still have to find parking spaces and roads continue to be turned into places to solve problems that planning has not solved.
The draft resolution of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee submitted to the City People's Council this time has a very noteworthy point, land users are allowed to exploit underground space within the boundary of the land plot to a depth of 15m without having to pay fees for using underground space.
If only looking at underground space as an asset to collect money, businesses will have to add a cost to a project that is already very expensive. If there is only parking money to recover capital, the problem becomes even more difficult.
Therefore, allowing underground parking lots combined with commercial and service is the key. Frankly speaking, if businesses want to dig underground, they must see the cash flow there.
This is not preferential treatment for businesses but a normal economic principle. Investors who invest capital must have a capital recovery plan. If the city has more parking lots, reduces traffic pressure and has more public space, people will also benefit.
But a smooth mechanism does not mean laxity.
Underground space planning must go along with unified spatial data, technical infrastructure maps and coordination mechanisms between sectors. The HCMC People's Council also requires that underground works not overlap with existing infrastructure or space already reserved for other projects, and at the same time must ensure safety for works on the ground and surrounding areas.
If that can be done, the ground will no longer be a "submerged part" in planning thinking.
23/9 Park is being studied for an underground project connecting Ben Thanh station, with a maximum of 4 basements, combined with parking, commercial and service areas. This approach shows that underground space can be associated with public transport.
That is the perspective of a modern city, the ground is more for people, vehicles and urban functions can be organized underground.
But the lessons of decades of planning are still intact, policies must go one step ahead. It is impossible to continue planning underground parking lots, calling for investment, and then leaving the project stuck due to financial problems, exploitation rights and procedures.
People are looking forward to the designs of underground parking lots that are truly present in reality.
