Ho Chi Minh City will implement the project to renovate the Tham Luong-Ben Cat-Rach Nuoc Len canal with a length of more than 30km, running radially along the north-south axis of the city.
Along with canal rehabilitation, the project forms two canals with a total length of more than 60km, expected to create a bright “face” in terms of environment and traffic for the canal following 20 years of waiting.
Waiting for a new “face”
Project of infrastructure construction and environmental improvement of Tham Luong-Ben Cat-Rach Nuoc Len canal (connecting Long An province through Cho Dem river and Binh Duong province, Dong Nai province via Saigon river) by the Project Management Board construction investment urban infrastructure Ho Chi Minh City as the investor.
This is phase 2 (referred to as Tham Luong canal infrastructure construction project) of the Tham Luong-Ben Cat-Rach Nuoc Len canal drainage and pollution improvement project implemented since 2002.
The project is implemented along Tham Luong canal – Ben Cat – Rach Nuoc Lenpassing through District 12, Binh Tan, Tan Phu, Tan Binh, Go Vap, Binh Thanh and Binh Chanh districts with a total investment of regarding 8,200 billion VND.
Among them, the cost of compensation, support and resettlement is more than 874 billion VND; construction cost is regarding 6,967 billion VND.
According to the Decision of the People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City, this is an infrastructure project of the nature of serving society, improving the quality of people’s life; at the same time as the foundation for the city’s socio-economic development in the future.
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The project aims to drain rainwater, anti-flooding for the area of 14,900ha of the area and other related areas; urban renovating and improving the environment of the project area, increasing traffic capacity for the North-South axis.
A representative of the Urban Infrastructure Construction Investment Project Management Board in Ho Chi Minh City said that the project will build a canal embankment with a total length of 63.11km; dredging canal with a length of 31.46km, the width of the canal bottom is 30m or more, from Phu Dinh port to Truong Dai bridge and over 40m from Truong Dai bridge to Saigon river.
Many sections on the Tham Luong-Ben Cat-Rach Nuoc Len canal are quite narrow due to overgrown grass. (Photo: Tien Luc/VNA)Along with the canal rehabilitation, the project will form roads on both sides of the canal with a total length of 63.41km, the road surface is 7-12m wide (mostly 12m), and the sidewalk is over 3m wide.
The project also builds 12 boat docks and 3 traffic bridges along the route; traffic junctions with drainage, lighting and greenery works.
Mr. Le Thanh Tung, Manager of Tham Luong Canal Infrastructure Construction Project, said that when the Tham Luong canal infrastructure construction project is completed, there will be two routes running along the canal, parallel to National Highway 1, going through 7 districts of the city.
These routes will help improve the traffic situation in the area, especially restricting personal cars and small trucks from traveling to National Highway 1. Along with the development of waterways, the route will create an inter-connected traffic axis. regional connection, connecting from Long An province to the eastern provinces.
“However, we should not expect the project to immediately bring “green water” to Tham Luong-Ben Cat-Rach Nuoc Len canal, which is a long process combined with other projects. (wastewater treatment plant projects). However, the canal rehabilitation project will be the “backbone” for effective implementation of related projects,” Tung shared.
Favorable ground
Recorded at the Cho Cau bridge area, connecting District 12 and Go Vap, the Tham Luong canal route currently has dark water sources, many areas of the canal are quite narrow and overgrown with grass. Many areas of garbage accumulate on both sides of the canal, causing environmental pollution and emitting a stench.
Many areas of Tham Luong canal are littered with garbage, polluting the environment. (Photo: Tien Luc/VNA)On both banks of Tham Luong canal, it is quite open, mostly empty space. Some sections have quite wide concrete roads, while most are small dirt roads and trails.
Pointing along the canal route, Mrs. Nguyen Thi Hanh (living in Ward 14, Go Vap) said that most of the ground on both sides of the canal has been handed over by people for a long time. People here have been waiting for the project to be implemented for a long time to have beautiful roads and cleaner canals.
Meanwhile, as a long-time resident of Dong Hung Thuan ward (District 12), Ms. Nguyen Thi Bup shared that in 2002, the locality announced the project to renovate Tham Luong canal – Ben Cat – Rach Nuoc Len, family Her family gave up 600m2 of land for the project.
Many years have passed, the canal is still polluted, the two sides of the canal are full of grass, many people litter, urinate into the canal … very unhygienic. “I just hope the project will soon implement phase 2. When the canal is clean and the roads are clear, I hope my family will have a new livelihood in this area,” Mrs. Bup hopes.
The Tham Luong canal infrastructure construction project is implemented from public investment capital, of which the central budget is 4,000 billion VND, and the Ho Chi Minh City budget is 4,200 billion VND. Currently, the compensation for site clearance is only available in District 12, Go Vap district.
According to the Urban Infrastructure Construction Investment Project Management Board, the compensation and site clearance of the Tham Luong canal infrastructure construction project has been focused on and completed by the People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City. from the city budget under the project of Drainage, Drainage and Pollution Improvement of Tham Luong-Ben Cat-Rach Nuoc Len canal (phase 1).
There is still a part of the area on the left bank of Tham Luong canal (the section from Truong Dai bridge to the Saigon river), the range from the outer boundary of the dike line to the right bank of the Saigon River (the boundary on the canal side) in the area. Ward 15 (Go Vap District) and An Phu Dong, Thanh Loc, Thanh Xuan, Thoi An (District 12), will carry out compensation and site clearance during the implementation phase of this project.
This area will be compensated in the Tham Luong canal infrastructure construction project. The total area of land recovered is regarding 12.5 hectares, of which the land area of District 12 is regarding 10.1 hectares and Go Vap is regarding 2.4 hectares. The number of affected households is 166 households.
According to Ho Chi Minh City Urban Infrastructure Construction Investment Project Management Board, the project involves 7 districts of the city. However, now it has the advantage that the work of compensation and site clearance has been done mostly before, so the cost is low.
The project has 10 packages of construction and installation teachers. Currently, there are 9 bidding packages and contractors selected (with premises). It is expected that by the end of February, the project will be started with the goal of completing in 2025.
Previously, the project of drainage and pollution improvement of Tham Luong-Ben Cat-Rach Nuoc Len canal (phase 1) carried out site clearance; construction of dredging channels to access the flow; embankment on both sides of the canal; building drainage outlets at some of the tributaries.
The area of land recovered in phase 1 is 153.5ha; the total number of affected households is 3,212 households./.
Tien Luc (VNA/Vietnam+)
