Thịnh Liệt Urban Functional Area Project: Why Is It Still at a Standstill?

The stalled project, dormant for years, not only results in significant land resource wastage but also adversely affects the environment, landscape, and the lives of surrounding residents.

According to Mr. Vu The Khoan, Head of the Economic, Infrastructure, and Urban Department at Hoang Mai District People’s Committee, the investor of the Thinh Liet Urban Function Area project is Vinawaco Urban Infrastructure Development Investment Joint Stock Company. The project spans a total planned area of 60,323 m², with an expected population of approximately 3,534 people and a total investment of over 2,826 billion VND. The Hanoi People’s Committee issued Decision No. 5854/QD-UBND on October 21, 2016, regarding the investment policy, and Decision No. 1222/QD-UBND on March 26, 2020, approving the adjusted detailed planning at a scale of 1/500.

However, the project remains inactive, turning the entire area into a space overrun by weeds and waste.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Hoa, a resident of Group 25 in Hoang Mai Ward, shared: “This used to be an old production facility. After relocation, it has been left abandoned for over a decade. Whenever it rains, stagnant water breeds mosquitoes, and no one dares to come near.”

Another resident expressed frustration: “I thought the project would start soon to improve the area, but after all these years, all we see is rusted metal, overgrown weeds, and piles of trash.”

Mr. Vu The Khoan explained that the project’s delay is due to the prolonged impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and adjustments to the project, including legal changes in investment procedures. Specifically, Decree No. 30/2021/ND-CP dated March 26, 2021, requires investors to have legal land use rights to be recognized as project investors or to adjust investment policies. Currently, the investor is in the process of completing legal procedures.

In reality, although the project is listed in the pilot program under Resolution No. 171/2024/QH15 dated November 30, 2024, of the National Assembly, approved by the City Council in Resolution No. 434/NQ-HDND on July 10, 2025, and has undergone multiple legal procedure adjustments, the Thinh Liet Urban Function Area project has shown no signs of commencement.

Speaking to reporters from Hanoi Moi Newspaper, residents expressed outrage over the tens of thousands of square meters of land “forgotten” for nearly a decade. This is an “unjustifiable waste,” as it not only leads to resource loss but also causes environmental consequences.

Many believe that land wastage not only squanders development opportunities but also tarnishes the urban landscape. The prolonged delay freezes land resources in a rapidly urbanizing area where the demand for housing, parking, schools, and public parks is increasingly urgent, making the situation even more incongruous. Meanwhile, nearby projects have been completed, forming bustling residential areas, further isolating this vacant urban space…

A prime piece of land left neglected in the capital raises serious questions about the responsibility of public resource management. It is time for authorities to review and reassess the investor’s capabilities and progress. If delays persist, decisive action should be taken to revoke the project and assign it to a more capable entity.

Urban land is a finite resource. Allowing it to lie fallow daily is an unacceptable waste as Hanoi strives to develop into a civilized and modern city.