{"id":2287,"date":"2020-05-29T17:33:20","date_gmt":"2020-05-29T09:33:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thesmartlocal.com\/vietnam\/?p=2287"},"modified":"2020-09-14T22:34:51","modified_gmt":"2020-09-14T14:34:51","slug":"saigon-eastern-town","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thesmartlocal.com\/vietnam\/saigon-eastern-town\/","title":{"rendered":"Ho Chi Minh City Pushed To Become A “Smart City” As District 2, District 9, And Thu Duc District Merge"},"content":{"rendered":"

District 2, District 9, and Thu Duc District in HCMC to merge into one<\/span><\/h2>\n
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As Vietnam has put the COVID-19 outbreak under control, the country is going into overdrive to get the economy back up and devise plans for the future.<\/p>\n

Besides plans for rebooting tourism<\/a>, Ho Chi Minh City\u2019s municipal government has also submitted a one-of-a-kind plan that will combine Districts 2, 9, and Thu Duc District. This will make a far-reaching impact on the face of the city, <\/strong>creating new developments, jobs, and opportunities for local residents.<\/p>\n

This proposal attracted tremendous attention when it was first made public and has recently won the endorsement of Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, VnExpress<\/a> reported.<\/p>\n

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The combined districts are colloquially known as the Eastern Town<\/span><\/h3>\n
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Lying across Saigon River, District 2<\/strong> is home to some of Saigon\u2019s largest expat communities.<\/strong> Its neighbor, District 9, <\/strong>is known for its plethora of technology and industrial hubs such as a Samsung manufacturing plant and FPT software company. <\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Saigon
\nDiamond Island in District 2, facing District 1 across the river
\n<\/em>Image credit: <\/em>Saigon<\/em><\/a> Viewers<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Thu Duc District, <\/strong>on the other hand, plays host to Saigon\u2019s top universities<\/strong> such as Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HCMUT), University of Economics and Law (UEL), and International University (HCMIU).<\/p>\n

Altogether, the combination of these three districts is known among residents as the Eastern Town<\/strong>. Situated in the east of Saigon and directly linked to each other, these three districts are also where the first metro line<\/a> will run through, making the city extremely convenient for people to commute to work.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Saigon
\nMetro line No. 1 under construction
\n<\/em>Image credit: <\/em>Saigon Viewers<\/em><\/a>
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

For these reasons, Ho Chi Minh City has will develop these areas into one high-profile hub called the Eastern Town, <\/strong>where businesses are welcomed to create new ideas and technology innovations, fancy skyscrapers being developed will line the horizon, universities will train a resilient local workforce, and living standards will be taken to the next level.<\/p>\n

\"Saigon
\nDistrict 2 by night from a bird\u2019s eye view
\n<\/em>Image credit: <\/em>Saigon Viewers<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

The plan is also part of the city\u2019s efforts to transform these areas similarly to Pudong<\/strong>, a bustling and modern district in Shanghai, China. <\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Pudong
\nPudong neighborhood in Shanghai
\nImage credit: <\/em>@by_ycmr_20<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

The Eastern Town will stretch across 22,000 hectares and have an estimated 1 million residents.<\/p>\n

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What we can expect from a merged district<\/h3>\n
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Saigon is Vietnam\u2019s largest city which had been receiving a continuous influx of immigrants on a daily basis <\/strong>before the pandemic. <\/strong>Apart from Vietnamese citizens moving to Saigon to start a career or to go to college, the city has been welcoming a significant number of tourists as well as expats coming here to work long-term.<\/p>\n

This population growth has placed remarkable strain on the city\u2019s infrastructure, <\/strong>resulting in traffic congestion and pollution.<\/p>\n

\"Saigon\"Traffic congestion in Saigon
\nImage credit: <\/em>Saigon Viewers<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

Besides, a lot of economic activity is still concentrated in District 1, home to Saigon\u2019s only central business district to date. <\/strong>This means that the large number of people flowing from all parts of Saigon to District 1 daily adds pressure to its age-old infrastructure and makes commuting a challenging experience. <\/strong><\/p>\n

\"SaigonDistrict 1 is packed with houses and narrow streets
\nImage credit: <\/em>Saigon Viewers<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

Once the new zone comes up and allows people to do many things such as going to school, working, and shopping all in one place<\/strong>, the traffic flow to other districts, including District 1, will be curtailed.<\/p>\n

Besides, residents or visitors in the Eastern Town will be able to commute around using the metro system, which can reduce traffic congestion and pollution considerably.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Eastern Town may be a new solution to the city\u2019s challenges<\/span><\/h3>\n
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As one of the fastest-growing cities in Asia, Saigon is faced with many challenges, including rapid population growth, insufficient infrastructure and public transportation, and pollution.<\/p>\n

We hope that the efforts of the city\u2019s leaders in developing a better education system, more advanced public transport system, and a concentrated technology zone<\/strong> in the form of the Eastern Town will help Saigon break through its existing limitations and grow into a true smart city.<\/p>\n

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