After the Nhieu Loc - Thi Nghe, Tan Hoa - Lo Gom, Ben Nghe - Tau Hu canal revival projects, a series of large-scale canal dredging projects continue to be prioritized for investment by Ho Chi Minh City.

This plan aims to realize the "dream" of reviving canals, improving the living environment, and beautifying urban areas.

Projects that have been "scheduled"

Project on infrastructure construction and environmental improvement of Tham Luong - Ben Cat - Rach Nuoc Len canal

The project, with a budget of over VND8,200 billion, is being implemented in districts 12, Binh Tan, Tan Phu, Tan Binh, Go Vap, Binh Thanh and Binh Chanh district. This is a project that is expected to change the urban face of the entire area of ​​14,900 hectares by 2025.

w dji 0167 1 738.jpg
The project to build infrastructure and improve the environment of Tham Luong - Ben Cat - Nuoc Len canal is being implemented through Binh Tan district. Photo: Tuan Kiet

The project items include: Construction of a 63km long canal embankment, dredging a 31km long canal, roads on both sides of the canal, drainage works, lighting systems, landscape renovation along the route... The purpose of the project is to beautify the urban area and improve the environment, increase traffic capacity for the North - South axis of Ho Chi Minh City...

In addition, Ho Chi Minh City is also prioritizing the implementation of a series of environmental improvement projects and dredging other canals and ditches, including: Xuyen Tam canal improvement project (Binh Thanh and Go Vap districts); Dredging and improving Van Thanh canal (Binh Thanh district); Improving the environment of the North bank of Doi canal (District 8); Building infrastructure and improving the environment of Te canal (District 4); Improving Hy Vong canal (Tan Binh district).

rach-van-thanh2-1.jpg
Dilapidated houses along Xuyen Tam canal, through Binh Thanh district. Photo: Nguyen Hue

Xuyen Tam Canal Renovation Project

Ho Chi Minh City will spend more than VND9,600 billion to renovate Xuyen Tam canal (Binh Thanh and Go Vap districts), with the main canal nearly 6.7km long (from Nhieu Loc - Thi Nghe canal to Vam Thuat river) and 3 branches longer than 2.2km (Son bridge, Binh Trieu and Binh Loi branches).

According to the plan, the Xuyen Tam canal will be dredged to a depth of 3.5m, 20-30m wide, with a synchronous wastewater and rainwater collection system. Roads will be built on both banks, each with two lanes 6m wide, sidewalks 3-4m wide, along with parks, green areas, lighting systems...

The project has a total investment of more than 9,664 billion VND, of which the compensation estimate is more than 6,371 billion VND.

To implement this project, Go Vap district will clear 137 affected cases with a total recovered area of ​​nearly 25,000 square meters, with compensation costs of more than 354 billion VND.

Binh Thanh district has 2,122 cases affected by the project in 7 wards, including 1,273 cases of complete clearance. The total compensation cost for the project in Binh Thanh district is nearly 6,000 billion VND.

The project will start construction later this year and be completed in 2028.

W-house-on-kenh-doi-nguyen-hue-3-1.jpg
Slums along the Doi Canal (District 8). Photo: Nguyen Hue

Project of dredging, infrastructure construction, environmental improvement of the North bank of Doi Canal

The project is located in District 8, with a total investment of nearly VND5,000 billion. In April 2023, the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee approved the policy of including it in the list of projects using medium-term public investment capital expected to increase in the period 2021-2025.

The project's construction scale is about 4.3km of embankment, combined with dredging part of the Doi Canal riverbed on the North bank; expanding Hoai Thanh and Nguyen Duy streets to 20m; building a new Nguyen Duy extended street (from alley 157 Hung Phu to the Y-shaped bridge) 16m wide and Hiep An 2 bridge.

District 8 has 1,571 cases affected by clearance with a total area of ​​over 5.5 hectares, including 1,005 cases of complete clearance. The estimated cost for compensation is about 3,500 billion VND.

According to plan, the project will start construction in December 2024 and be completed in 2028.

rach-xuyen-tam1-1.jpg
Garbage covers canals, polluting the environment and ruining the urban beauty. Photo: Nguyen Hue

3 projects are waiting for procedures

Recently, the Department of Construction also proposed that the City People's Committee direct departments and branches to speed up the completion of investment procedures, submit to the City People's Council for approval of the policy and add to the medium-term public investment capital plan for the period 2021-2025 for 3 other projects: renovating Hy Vong canal, renovating Van Thanh canal, and renovating the environment of Te canal.

These projects require the relocation of nearly 2,000 houses with a total compensation capital of about VND8,600 billion.

Rach Van Thanh has more than 1,000 temporary houses that need to be relocated for urban beautification. Photo: Nguyen Hue

Van Thanh Canal (part of the Nhieu Loc - Thi Nghe canal system) extends from Dien Bien Phu bridge to the Nhieu Loc - Thi Nghe canal junction, with a total length of about 1.5km.

Over the years, long-term silting and encroachment have caused Van Thanh canal to become heavily polluted, reducing its drainage capacity and waterway traffic.

The Van Thanh canal dredging and renovation project is expected to relocate 1,063 houses with a total compensation cost of about VND4,921 billion. The project includes dredging the canal bed and building roads on both sides, helping to improve the environment, clear the flow and increase traffic connectivity. The project is currently being appraised by the Department of Planning and Investment for its feasibility study report.

The Te Canal is a 4.4 km long canal, connecting the Saigon River to the intersection with the Ben Nghe Canal, Tau Hu Canal and Doi Canal. The Te Canal infrastructure and environmental improvement project will relocate 741 houses with a total compensation of about VND 2,089 billion. For this project, investment preparation procedures are being implemented.

The Hope Canal (Tan Binh District) is responsible for draining the entire area west and north of Tan Son Nhat Airport but is facing pollution. Houses built on the canal reduce the airport's drainage capacity.

It is expected that Hy Vong canal will be renovated from Pham Van Bach street to Tham Luong canal, 1.1km long. To implement this project, 179 houses will have to be relocated with compensation cost of about 1,595 billion VND. The project will arrange 55 collection pits, connect drainage along the bank and build 9 new culverts, culverts across the road... Along both banks of the canal, the project will build a 6m wide road with sidewalks and drainage system, lighting, railings...

Currently, the Department of Planning and Investment is appraising the feasibility study report of this project.

The adversity of thousands of households living in a "slum" at the foot of a high-rise building in the center of Ho Chi Minh City . More than 1,000 households live in shabby houses on a black, garbage-filled stream in Van Thanh canal (Ho Chi Minh City), which is likened to a "slum", with high-rise buildings springing up nearby.