Ho Chi Minh City targets 255 km of metro by 2030, with land clearance to come first

Ho Chi Minh City is telling agencies involved in its metro expansion that land clearance must move ahead of construction planning, not follow it.

The city’s Department of Agriculture and Environment has sent instructions to 168 communes, wards and special administrative zones, as well as project management boards and investors. It called land recovery, compensation, support and resettlement especially important because urban rail projects cover large areas, affect multiple localities and directly affect organizations, households and individuals.

The city plans to prioritize eight rail and metro projects between 2026 and 2030, with the goal of completing 255 kilometers of urban rail. By 2035, it expects to complete seven additional lines and expand the network to 532 kilometers. The department said the required investment capital will be substantial and must be prepared and concentrated through medium-term and annual public investment plans.

For projects that already have assigned investors, the Metro Railway Management Board is being asked to review the projects, update cost estimates for preparatory work and complete procedures for funding. For projects without assigned investors, it must report to the city government and propose funding for compensation, support and resettlement.

The department also wants investors and local authorities to prepare detailed Gantt-chart schedules for each project, identifying every task, deadline, lead agency, coordinating agency, completed product and handover date. Local authorities must review the capacity of organizations handling compensation and resettlement. If existing units lack capacity, they must coordinate with the city’s compensation and site-clearance board, land-fund development center or another qualified organization. The stated aim is to ensure that local implementation capacity does not become a cause of delay.