On October 30, Dak Lak Province announced the master plan for Buon Ma Thuot to 2050. The plan covers four urban wards, Buon Ma Thuot, Tan An, Tan Lap, Ea Kao and Thanh Nhat, as well as Hoa Phu Commune. The area covers 37,738 hectares.
The plan projects a population of 550,000–658,000 by 2035 and 750,000–1,025,000 by 2050.
It aims to develop Buon Ma Thuot as an ecological, smart and modern city with a distinct cultural identity. The city is expected to serve as a subregional center and an important economic and social link between the Central Highlands, the rest of Vietnam and international markets.
Buon Ma Thuot is set to reinforce its position as the world's coffee capital. Its economy is planned around digital government, the digital economy and digital society, together with processing, high-tech agriculture and tourism.
The urban area will follow a polycentric model with six functional zones. Buon Ma Thuot Ward will be the administrative, commercial, service, cultural and tourism center. Tan An will develop as a high-quality ecological urban area, Tan Lap will focus on public transport and logistics, and Thanh Nhat will combine low-density development with high-tech agriculture. Hoa Phu will focus on clean industry, deep agricultural processing, logistics and ecotourism.
Ea Kao Ward will become a southern growth center for ecotourism, resorts and high-tech agriculture.
Dak Lak authorities plan coordinated transport infrastructure, including interregional expressways, an upgrade of Buon Ma Thuot Airport to 4C standards, ring roads and public transport.
Urban architecture and landscape planning will preserve, restore and promote traditional villages, valuable buildings and long-established community spaces.
Alongside preserving traditional culture, Buon Ma Thuot plans to develop industry, improve education and healthcare, expand green spaces, protect water resources and promote a circular economy.
Luong Nguyen Minh Triet, secretary of the provincial Party Committee and head of Dak Lak's National Assembly delegation, said Buon Ma Thuot must strengthen its role as the Central Highlands' central city and core. He said the city should become an important growth pole linking raw-material areas with processing, logistics and markets in a new development space stretching from the highlands to the coast.
He also called for priority to be given to preserving traditional village spaces, ethnic cultures and green ecosystems. The province plans to use existing mechanisms and develop new policies suited to local conditions to support Buon Ma Thuot's growth.
Sources: Dân Trí
