After saving a series of canals, including Nhieu Loc – Thi Nghe, Tan Hoa – Lo Gom, Ben Nghe – Tau Hu, HCM City is now prioritizing large-scale canal dredging projects to improve the environment.

Projects in the pipeline

1. This project will build infrastructure and improve the Tham Luong – Ben Cat – Rach Nuoc Len canal environment.

The project, capitalized at VND8.2 trillion, is in districts 12, Binh Tan, Tan Phu, Tan Binh, Go Vap, Binh Thanh and Binh Chanh. It is expected to change the face of 14,900 hectares by 2025.

Under the project, an embankment system with a total length of 63 kilometers will be built, and the 31 kilometer canal will be dredged. The other components include the construction of transport ways on the two sides of the canal, and the installation of a water drainage system and lighting system. Also, landscapes will be improved.

The aims of the projects are environmental improvement and transport capability on the North-South route.

HCM City also prioritizes many other environmental improvement and canal dredging projects, including the Xuyen Tam arroyo improvement in Binh Thanh and Go Vap districts; dredging and improvement of Van Thanh arroyo in Binh Thanh; environmental improvement of Doi Canal’s northern side in district 8; and building of Te Canal in district 4 and improvement of Hy Vong Canal in Tan Binh district.

2. HCM City authorities plan to spend VND9.6 trillion to upgrade Xuyen Tam arroyo with the focus on the 6.7 kilometer major arroyo route, from Nhieu Loc – Thi Nghe Canal to Vam Thuat River, and three branches (2.2 kilometers long).

Under the plan, the Xuyen Tam arroyo bed will be dredged to have a depth of 3.5 meters and width of 20-30 meters, together with a comprehensive wastewater and rainwater collection system. Roads will be built on both sides of the arroyo with 6-meter two lanes, 3-4 meter pavement, together with parks, greenery and lighting systems.

The project has investment capital of VND9.664 trillion, of which VND6.371 trillion will be spent on compensation for site clearance.

To implement the project, 137 households in Go Vap district will have to be removed with total land area of 25,000 sq m to be recovered, which costs VND354 billion.

In Binh Thanh district, 2,122 households in seven wards will be affected by the projects. The total amount of money for compensation for site clearance is VND6 trillion.

The project is planned to ramp up this year end and be completed by 2028.

3. The project to improve the environment of the northern side of Doi Canal in district 8 has a total capital of VND5 trillion. In April 2023, the HCMC People’s Committee agreed to add it to the list of projects using medium-term public investment capital in 2021-2025.

About 4.3 kilometers of embankment will be built and a section of river bed will be dredged, while Hoai Thanh and Nguye nDuy roads will be expanded to 20 meters wide. A new road, Nguyen Duy, from No 157 Hung Phu Alley to Y-shaped Bridge and Hiep An 2, will be built.

As many as 1,571 households will have to move to make room (5.5 hectares of land) to implement the project. About VND3.5 trillion will be spent on compensation for site clearance. 

The project is scheduled to kick off in December and be completed in 2028.

3 projects awaiting procedures

The HCM City Construction Department has proposed that the People’s Committee instruct agencies to quickly complete investment procedures and obtain the city’s People’s Council’s permission to add three projects to the list of projects using medium-term capital in 2021-2025, namely Hy Vong, Van Thanh and Te Canal improvement. 

To implement the three projects, 2,000 houses will have to move, which will cost VND8.6 trillion.

Van Thanh Arroyo, belonging to Nhieu Loc – Thi Nghe Canal system, spans 1.5 kilometers, from Dien Bien Phu Bridge to the Nhieu Loc – Thi Nghe T-junction.

Soil consolidation and encroachment over many years have polluted the Van Thanh arroyo with the drainage and waterway transport capability degrading.

Te Canal is a 4.4 kilometer canal that connects Sai Gon River to the intersection with Ben Nghe, Tau Hu and Doi Canal. As many as 741 houses will have to relocate.

A 1.1 kilometer of Hy Vong Canal section will be upgraded to improve the drainage capacity of Tan Son Nhat Airport and neighboring works.

Tuan Kiet