Amended Capital Law drives Hanoi for higher results: Specialists

The amended Capital Law will definitely be a huge boost for Hanoi in the new era, as it provides the city with a new mechanism to achieve more results, experts said on November 21.

A corner of Hanoi seen from the west. Photo: Pham Hung/The Hanoi Times

Le Duy Binh, Managing Director of Economica Vietnam, said that after 10 years under the Capital Law, Hanoi has achieved remarkable socio-economic development.

But now the city needs to make changes to its Capital Law to facilitate new growth engines in the economy, society, science, education, and healthcare, he said.

According to Politburo Resolution 15/NQ-TW, Hanoi must make breakthrough progress by 2045 to live up to the country's expectations of being a political and socio-economic center, the central driving force of the northern region, and the city of smart mobility, modernity, and global integration.

"Therefore, the Capital Law, which has driven the growth of both Hanoi and Vietnam, needs modifications, new updates that will give the city a strong and sustainable boost to achieve its goals," Binh said.

According to Nguyen Ngoc Bich, Chair of Administrative Law at Hanoi Law University, Hanoi was built to be a capital that is both a political and cultural center, and this makes the city different from other capitals in the world which can only play one of these roles.

The 2012 Capital Law only provides general definitions, not practical solutions to deal with the problems that arise, she said, adding that the law needs to be modified.

The amended Capital Law provides the organization and power arrangement for all levels of authorities in Hanoi, which could be the key solution to existing problems, Bich said.

"Many provisions in the draft can have a huge impact on the whole country, as it can make provinces and cities change the way they work and make people change their way of thinking," she said.

Le Trung Hieu, Deputy Director of the Hanoi Metropolitan Railway Management Board, said that the amended Capital Law can lift Hanoi to a new level, where the city can be on par with other metropolises in the region and the world.

By providing new mechanisms, the amended Capital Law gives Hanoi greater decision-making power, thus accelerating the city's development, he said.

Among existing issues, the new Capital Law can bring changes to the city's transportation system with the Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) model, putting public transport at the center of urban planning, he noted.

Hanoi now has about 6.4 million vehicles, including 5.6 million motorcycles and nearly 700,000 cars. The exponential growth in the number of motorized vehicles is straining infrastructure, causing traffic congestion and pollution.

"The TOD model could be the comprehensive solution for urban planning and design, as well as commercial and service activities," Hieu said.

"With public infrastructure as the center of the urban area, it will be less time-consuming for people to travel, thus increasing the efficiency of land use, improving people's health, and reducing environmental pollution."

But the construction will require huge expenditures, and the amended Capital Law may allow Hanoi to collect more revenue from selling land use rights around public transport infrastructure to invest in new projects, Hieu added.