The relocation of Government agency headquarters out of Hanoi downtown has to strictly comply with urban planning.

Minister of Construction Nguyen Thanh Nghi. Source: quochoi.vn

Minister of Construction Nguyen Thanh Nghi gave the assertion during an interpellation session on November 3 when answering a question from Deputy Tran Van Tien (Vinh Phuc province) on the progress of moving the headquarters of government agencies, industrial facilities and universities out of the city's downtown.

According to Nghi, the relocation has been behind schedule as those involved in the process did not fully comply with the Prime Minister’s instruction on submitting a roadmap and criteria.

“The Ministry of Construction is the prime responsible for the slow relocation,” Nghi admitted.

In the coming time, Nghi requested ministries and agencies to speed up the completion of national sectoral- and technical planning, as well as a list of facilities subject to relocation, mechanisms, and policies for such a process.

Deputy Nguyen Manh Cuong from Quang Binh Province expressed concern that in many cases the vacant lands after the relocation were used for commercial housing projects.

In this regard, Minister Nghi noted the priority for land use after the relocation should be given to the construction of public projects, parking stations, or social and urban technical infrastructure.

Nghi added the aim is to not cause overload to the downtown infrastructure, and ensure a balance in the use of social, technical, and environmental urban structures while ruling out the construction of high-rise buildings that are not under current planning.

The vacant land would also be auctioned to raise funds for the relocation  of the Government agencies.

“Construction works with high historical, cultural, and architectural values should be preserved and restored under the Cultural Heritage Law, in the interest of the public,” he said.