The VND10-trillion flood-control project in HCMC, which resumed construction on February 27, will be completed at the end of 2019 or in the first quarter of 2020 if HCMC authorities hand over cleared sites as scheduled by end-June.


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Phu Dinh floodgate as part of the huge antiflooding project is under construction


Nguyen Tam Tien, general director of project investor Trung Nam Group, on February 27 said that prior to the Tet holiday, the investor had resumed the construction of the project at Ben Nghe, Tan Thuan and Phu Dinh floodgates. Construction of all components of the project has now been resumed, Tien added.

Some 72% of the project work has been completed, Tien noted, adding, “If HCMC authorities hand over cleared sites on June 30 as committed, the developer will speed up efforts to put the project into operation at the end of the year or in the first quarter of 2020.”

In end-April 2018, the project was suspended due to the problems emerging from the use of the wrong steel for the project. The obstacles were removed in January, resulting in the resumption of the project.

The project is expected to enhance the urban infrastructure and livelihoods of some 6.5 million residents living in a 570-square–kilometer stretch of land near the Saigon River, comprising districts 1, 4, 7 and 8, as well as the outlying districts of Binh Chanh and Nha Be. It also covers the six sluice gates of Ben Nghe, Tan Thuan, Phu Xuan, Muong Chuoi, Cay Kho and Phu Dinh, with a width of 40 to 160 meters each.

In addition, pumping stations will be installed at Ben Nghe, Tan Thuan and Phu Dinh floodgates, with a capacity of 12, 24 and 18 cubic meters per second, respectively.

In the first phase, a 7.8-kilometer dyke system with 25 smaller floodgates measuring one to ten meters in width will be built along a Saigon River section between the Vam Thuat River and the Kinh River.

These floodgates will be located in districts 1, 4, 7, 8, Nha Be and Binh Chanh, and the project will cover a combined 100 hectares of land, relocating 1,500 people.

SGT