Dinh Tien Dung, secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee, earlier this week urged district governments, especially Ba Dinh's, to find solutions for rebuilding and renovating the downgraded apartment buildings.

Hanoi Party Committee Secretary Dinh Tien Dung (second left) at an apartment block in Thanh Cong ward, Ba Dinh District. Photo: xaydungchinhsach.chinhphu.vn

He said that work had been behind schedule for sometimes despite positive progress in preparations, particularly in administrative activities.

The municipal party leader emphasized the need to renovate and reconstruct old apartment blocks, even though resources are still limited.

He suggested that the work should start in Ba Dinh District, and the local government should take the lead and responsibility to develop a plan and ensure that construction begins by the end of the year.

Dung noted that the city has faced many challenges in implementing its program to rebuild and renovate old apartment buildings.

Legal issues have been resolved by the municipality and the government, while the amended housing and capital laws will create a better framework for investors, he said.

"Local authorities should find ways to solve their problems. And they should have new residential areas that provide sufficient public amenities for people, including schools, parks and trees," he said.

The Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee also called on each of the city's government officials to step up and take responsibility for the work.

District authorities have until the third quarter to finalize their plans for the relocation, compensation and resettlement of residents, he said.

He expects investors and contractors to be selected by the end of the year and the city to start rebuilding one or two apartment blocks in 2025.

According to Vo Nguyen Phong, Director of the Hanoi Department of Construction, most of the residents have moved out of the six dangerously downgraded buildings in the district.

But none of the district authorities have finished drawing up concrete plans to rebuild the blocks, he said.

Phong emphasized that the rebuilding of old apartment blocks has addressed planning issues such as landscaping and overcrowding.

Many blocks are to be turned into parks, while others are only five storeys high, making the projects unattractive to investors, he said.

Nguyen Xuan Luu, Director of Hanoi's Department of Finance, said the city had redirected its budget to district authorities to evaluate and develop new designs for apartment blocks to speed up the work.

Relevant government agencies in Hanoi are developing a set of standards and criteria to be used by investors, he added.

Luu said that once the standards and criteria have been worked out and agreed by the people, construction will begin immediately.