VietNamNet Bridge – The structure of dykes along rivers in Ha Noi has been damaged by the volume of overloaded trucks running through the dykes every day, threatening the safety of houses during the stormy season, Kinh Te Do Thi (Economic and Urban Affairs) newspaper reported.

An overloaded truck on the Hong (Red) River dyke despite a sign which banning vehicles weighing more than 10 tonnes.- Photo kinhtedothi.vn

Along a section of Red River dyke running through Ba Vi District, overloaded vehicles pound the road surface, causing cracks, depressions and potholes.

According to the Economic Division of Ba Vi District, there are about 30 seriously downgraded spots along the dyke, mainly located in the communes of Chu Minh, Dong Quang and Cam Thuong.

The dyke surface is also reported to be seriously damaged on the Hong River dyke in the districts of Dong Anh, Me Linh, the Duong River dyke in Gia Lam District and the Day River dyke along the handicraft villages of Hoai Duc District.

According to experts, there are many reasons for the damage, including its unsynchronised structure and the irregularity of maintenance work.

However, the main factor is the overloaded vehicles, experts said.

Along the Hong River dyke, there are dozens of sand dumps where sand is loaded on trucks and transported away, day and night.

The dyke is also used by trucks transporting construction materials from northern Ha Nam Province and containers from Ha Noi and northern Hai Phong City.

According to the Ha Noi Dyke Management and Flood Control Division under the municipal Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, among 187 construction material gathering grounds along rivers in the city, 83 are used by overloaded vehicles.

Lieutenant Colonel Tran Xuan Thanh, deputy head of Ha Noi Police’s Economic Security Division said that besides penalties on violations along the river, localities must step up supervision of units and organisations along rivers.  

Vehicles weighing more than 10 tonnes are not allowed on the city’s dykes. However, many truck drivers extended the size of their truck tanks by three to four times to carry a larger load. Leaders of localities proposed that the city’s Department of Transport stiffen controls over vehicle registrations.

Do Duc Thinh, head of the Ha Noi Dyke Management and Flood Control Division said that in the context of a lack of funds to upgrade the dyke system, using vehicle load limit signs would be a good idea. 

VNS