The potential land plots for the transit-oriented development (TOD) model in Ho Chi Minh City is about 60,000 hectares and the city is reviewing these land plots and urban planning for the model development, focusing on improving public transport systems and infrastructure.

The municipal People’s Committee and the British Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City held a seminar on managing and developing the city using the TOD model on Tuesday. 

At the seminar, hundreds of experts and government officials discussed sustainable development solutions for the TOD model across the city.

Nguyen Anh Tuan, head of the technical infrastructure management unit under the municipal Department of Construction, shared that the city’s future planning will focus on organizing urban spaces, particularly in the downtown area and Thu Duc City. 

A key part of this will be accelerating TOD development while simultaneously improving urban areas. Authorities are urgently applying special policies to develop the city’s metro system.

The city is also planning to zone the land, set architectural planning targets, and optimize the use of space around metro stations to maximize land efficiency. 

The city will also organize bus routes to connect with metro stations, and train workforces for managing urban areas and public transport systems under the TOD model.

Ho Chi Minh City will use special mechanisms to collect and use 100 percent of revenue from TOD areas to develop the metro and public transport systems, as well as technical infrastructure connecting to public transport systems.

Tuan said that the 60,000 hectares potential for TOD includes 32,000 hectares of agricultural land or vacant areas, 23,000 hectares in urban renewal zones, and 9,000 hectares of industrial land or land undergoing functional transformation.

At the seminar, municipal vice-chairman Bui Xuan Cuong noted that the city has a population density of 4,544 people per square kilometer. 

Urban and transport planning must be synchronized and integrated. Metro lines must serve as the backbone of the public transport network, driving the city's sustainable socio-economic development.

By 2035, the city aims to build some 355 kilometers of metro lines.

The city has announced plans to implement TOD in 11 locations along metro lines and Beltway No. 3, with nine locations to be developed immediately. 

With this model, the city expects to reduce traffic congestion, environmental and noise pollution while providing an accessible public transportation system, improving the quality of life for residents, and promoting green, sustainable growth.

Learning from international experience

Cuong emphasized the importance of learning from the experience of cities that have successfully developed TOD. 

Ho Chi Minh City also needs international support in knowledge, technology, and investment to transition from building purely urban rail systems to TOD, including developing legal frameworks, financial plans, attracting strategic investors, and preparing human resources to operate and maintain modern public transport systems.

Nguyen Hoang Tung, deputy head of the TOD Program under the Green Cities and Infrastructure Program, said Singapore has a well-organized TOD implementation process, including long-term planning and experience in developing high-density areas around transport hubs. 

The island nation performs master planning, detailed planning, and then controls the development process.

London is another example of TOD implementation, where the city benefits from a clear legal framework, centralized coordination strategies, and a focus on public-private cooperation. London follows a four-step process: planning, design, investment, and operation.

Meanwhile, Shenzhen City in China has an integrated TOD implementation process, including multi-level and multi-phase planning. 

Its comprehensive legal framework ensures TOD and metro systems align with the city's development. Like London, Shenzhen also follows a four-step process.

When discussing urban transport, Tung noted that these cities did not develop railway and urban systems in isolation but ensured close coordination at every stage.

Phan Cong Bang, head of the Ho Chi Minh City Management Authority for Urban Railways, said Ho Chi Minh City had several special mechanisms in place, such as authority to designate contractors and consultants. 

Bang noted that the TOD model can be first developed along metro line No. 2 as land clearance for the project has been completed.

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