Ho Chi Minh City Party Secretary proposes completing Tham Luong canal by April 2025

Secretary of the City Party Committee Nguyen Van Nen requested units to speed up the progress of completing the renovation of the longest canal in the city by April 30, 2025, 8 months earlier than planned.

The direction was given by the head of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee at a working session with relevant units on the implementation of the project to renovate and build the infrastructure of Tham Luong - Ben Cat - Nuoc Len canal, on June 13. This is one of three key infrastructure projects in the area with Secretary Nguyen Van Nen as the team leader to monitor the progress. Before the meeting, he inspected a number of project items.

Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee (right) inspects the project's construction site on the morning of June 13. Photo: Gia Minh

Tham Luong - Ben Cat - Nuoc Len canal is nearly 32 km long, passing through 7 districts: 12, Binh Tan, Tan Phu, Tan Binh, Go Vap, Binh Thanh and Binh Chanh. The project started in February this year with a total capital of 8,200 billion VND, from the central budget and Ho Chi Minh City.

According to Mr. Nen, through actual inspection of the project, the construction units are ensuring progress. Therefore, the investor and related units need to shorten the construction time to complete the project on April 30th in two years. If there are any problems during the implementation process, the units must proactively report to the competent authorities for resolution, instead of going through documents and procedures that prolong the time.

The City Party Secretary said the project has been supported and awaited by the people for the past 20 years, because when completed, it will help reduce pollution and prevent flooding for the surrounding basin of nearly 15,000 hectares. The project also contributes to traffic connectivity thanks to two roads built along the side and waterways through neighboring localities.

"The more people support us, the greater our responsibility is to meet that expectation," he said.

Workers drive piles on the banks of Tham Luong canal, through Go Vap, April 2023. Photo: Thanh Tung

Secretary Nguyen Van Nen also said that the large-scale canal infrastructure construction project may face many difficulties. The implementation needs to be prioritized, with the impact on people's lives being minimized. "Districts need to focus on mobilizing people to support and share some of the immediate difficulties when constructing the project to ensure progress," the leader of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee directed.

Mr. Bui Thanh Tan, Director of the City Urban Infrastructure Investment Project Management Board (investor), said that the project has 10 main packages, of which 9 packages have clean sites. At the construction site, contractors have simultaneously mobilized personnel, gathered equipment, and transported components and materials to serve the construction of embankments, culverts, and ground treatment items...

Perspective of the completed renovation project. Photo: Project Management Board

However, the construction process encountered some difficulties such as the wall at the Go Cat landfill (Go Vap) adjacent to the project has degraded, is prone to collapse and affects the transportation of materials. The project also encountered legal problems related to the receiving site for mud and residual soil from the dredging and construction process... In addition, the project also has a bid package through District 12 and Go Vap that has not completed site clearance. The investor requested the competent authority to promptly resolve this to speed up the progress.

Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Bui Xuan Cuong assessed that the investor and related units have focused on coordination to ensure the project's progress. The disbursement for the project also ensures the assigned capital plan, expected to reach 100% by the end of this year. The city government will direct related units to resolve problems to ensure the project is implemented smoothly.

Tham Luong - Ben Cat - Rach Nuoc Len is the longest canal in Ho Chi Minh City. The project to renovate and build infrastructure for the canal is being carried out on a scale of building concrete embankments on both banks, dredging the canal bed and making roads 7-12 m wide on each side. Along the route, three bridges, 19 drainage culverts, 12 boat docks, lighting systems, trees, etc. are being built.

Route of Tham Luong - Ben Cat canal - Nuoc Len stream. Graphics: Khanh Hoang

Previously, the first phase of the project was implemented 21 years ago with site clearance and dredging, embankment on both sides, and construction of drainage outlets in some surrounding canals. The second phase of the project was delayed due to lack of capital, causing serious pollution of the canal. By 2021, the project was transferred to investment from the budget, combining capital from the Central and the city.

Gia Minh

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