Real estate projects mushroom on the banks of the Saigon River in HCMC. The municipal government has ordered the establishment of a team to inspect the use of the river banks

Meanwhile, the Department of Transport will have to propose plans to adjust the width of each section of the riverbank corridor.

The Department of Planning and Architecture was asked to review 50 approved projects along the Saigon River, from Cu Chi District to District 7.

It must also consult experts and study the experience of other cities across the world to adjust riverside plans to ensure the unity of landscapes along the whole riverside.

In addition, the city government required the HCMC Institute for Development Studies to draw up a plan to exploit the potential of the Saigon River to serve the city’s socioeconomic development.

The plan should focus on the use of land lots along the river banks and solutions to protect the environment and landscapes there.

The plan should also include proposals to attract investment to develop areas around the river banks and accelerate the development of public facilities.

Regarding plans for the Saigon River banks, the mushrooming of construction projects may lead to an infrastructure overload, affecting the living conditions of surrounding households.

For example, an official plan has yet to be completed even though many buildings have already been erected, causing heavy flooding on Nguyen Huu Canh Street in Binh Thanh District.

As a result, the city has to allocate a large amount of capital to lease a massive water pump to resolve inundation in the area.

At a recent meeting with HCMC leaders, National Assembly deputy Truong Trong Nghia said that in many countries, river banks are simply public space.

However, river banks in Vietnam, especially in HCMC, are mainly occupied by private enterprises, which goes against development trends.

The Saigon River banks are not used to develop parks or other public facilities for the local residents but are occupied by real estate projects, Nghia pointed out.

Many experts proposed the Department of Planning and Architecture publicize licensed projects and plans for the Saigon River banks. SGT