On November 18, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Phan Van Mai signed an urgent dispatch to 7 relevant departments and agencies regarding the establishment of 2 specialized construction investment project management boards and a land fund development center.
In particular, the Department of Transport of Ho Chi Minh City was assigned to preside over the development of a project to establish a specialized transport construction investment project management board to manage key transport projects. The establishment of this new board aims to enhance management capacity, especially for large-scale transport projects, thereby speeding up implementation progress.
The Department of Planning and Investment of Ho Chi Minh City is also assigned to develop a project to establish a specialized PPP Construction Investment Project Management Board, to implement investment projects under the public-private partnership method in the infrastructure sector.
Another important content is the establishment of the Ho Chi Minh City Land Fund Development Center, under the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee. This center will be reorganized from the Land Fund Development Center under the Department of Natural Resources and Environment.
This agency will be tasked with expanding its functions and implementing TOD projects (urban development based on public transport model), one of the specific policies in Resolution 98.
Relevant departments are required to complete and submit the project to establish these committees and centers before November 30.
Previously, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Home Affairs sought opinions on the establishment of three more specialized project management boards on transportation, PPP and TOD.
According to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Transport, currently, traffic projects are mainly invested by the Ho Chi Minh City Traffic Construction Investment Project Management Board (Traffic Board), except for urban railway projects.
The Transport Department currently manages a large number of projects, many of which are national key projects, mainly in Group A and Group B. However, in recent times, these projects have had low disbursement rates and some projects have been behind schedule.
It is forecasted that in the period of 2026 - 2030, public investment capital for transport projects will account for nearly 70% of the total public investment capital of Ho Chi Minh City. When the planning of Ho Chi Minh City for the period of 2021 - 2030, with a vision to 2050 and the adjustment of the master plan to 2040, with a vision to 2060 are approved, the number and scale of transport infrastructure projects will increase sharply. Therefore, the establishment of a new board is extremely necessary to share the project volume.
The Department of Planning and Investment of Ho Chi Minh City also agreed with the establishment of a specialized committee to help solve difficulties in implementing PPP projects.
However, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment has a different opinion. This agency believes that the establishment of a TOD project management board is unnecessary, because this board cannot implement the related contents according to Resolution 98.
Instead, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment recommends that Ho Chi Minh City quickly establish the Ho Chi Minh City Land Fund Development Center to ensure the effective implementation of specific policies and mechanisms.
