Dead canals gradually resurrected

Lo Gom canal after renovating. (Photo: SGGP)

Life-changing dream

On many occasions when walking along the Tham Luong - Ben Cat - Nuoc Len canal through districts 12, Go Vap, and Tan Binh, we always saw the image of dark water in the canal, with many plastic bags, plastic bottles, and foam boxes piled up under the water. People living in the area for many years have suffered foul smells in the dry season and dirty floodwater in the rainy season.

However, this situation will soon change as the infrastructure construction and environmental improvement project for the Tham Luong - Ben Cat - Nuoc Len canal has just been launched. Phan Thi Hong, a resident of Ward 14, Go Vap District, excitedly said that the project has finally been officially implemented after so many years of pending, and people living on both sides of the canal are extremely happy.

Ms. Hong recalled that in the past, the banks of the Tham Luong - Ben Cat canal were covered with lush vegetation, and the water was clear with lots of shrimp and fish. Children often went swimming there, and boats transporting pottery, fruits, and other goods also traveled through the canal from the Mekong Delta.

However, over time, factories and houses began to sprout up, causing the canal to become increasingly polluted with garbage and wastewater, resulting in the blackened water flow. "My family has planned to sell our house and move somewhere else to avoid pollution several times. However, when we heard that the canal would be renovated and beautified like the Nhieu Loc - Thi Nghe canal, we felt relieved and decided to stay," Hong shared.

Tran Tuan Kiet, living on Street 23, Ward 14, Go Vap District, who lives about 100m away from the canal, talked about the years of suffering from severe pollution when many sections of the banks became dumping grounds. During hot afternoons or when the tide was low, the bottom of the canal revealed long-accumulated waste, emitting a strong odor.

Pointing to the ongoing renovation project, Kiet imagines that in just a few years, this canal will have a completely new appearance. Two tree-covered roads will be built along the canal, with a lighting system and decorative lights installed. Below the canal, a system of interconnected box culverts will separate household wastewater. The canal water will undoubtedly become clear again.

"When the project is finished, people on both sides will benefit in all aspects. Up to now, it has been hard to travel, especially for parents taking their children to school, as they have to make a detour through many roads to get to school. In a few years, the two completed roads will connect with hundreds of other roads and alleys, and traffic will be smooth," Kiet said optimistically.

Nguyen Thi Thanh Thuy, a food vendor on Street 53, Go Vap District, said that this area used to be no different from a slum, with drugs and theft occurring regularly. After phase 1 of the project was implemented (relocation and site clearance), not only have crimes decreased, but residents' lives have also become more civilized.

"The State is building roads, and residents are also renovating their homes. Those who have money raise the foundation and build more spacious homes. Even many people are proactively building their houses facing the two roads along both sides of the canal to increase the value of their property. At the same time, they will open businesses after the canal route is completed," said Thuy.

Many canals are greened

Phase 2 of the Tham Luong - Ben Cat - Nuoc Len canal project was planned to be implemented by the municipal People's Committee in 2012, but due to funding difficulties, it had to be halted. Later, the canal renovation was incorporated as a part of the HCMC Flood Risk Management Project, which was funded by the World Bank. However, in 2017, the World Bank suspended the funding, and the project continued to face a deadlock. In 2021, the project was shifted to be funded by the central government and HCMC budgets.

HCMC has also planned to invest or call for investment plans for many other canals. At the end of 2022, the HCMC People's Council approved the investment policy for the dredging, environmental improvement, and infrastructure construction project of the eight-kilometer Xuyen Tam canal in Binh Thanh and Go Vap districts, with a total capital of over VND9.3 trillion.

The project will be funded by the budget, and the capital will be allocated in two phases. Specifically, from now until 2025, HCMC will spend nearly VND6.65 trillion for compensation, site clearance, investment project planning, drawing design, and construction. Over VND3 trillion will be spent in five years for project implementation and settlement.

In addition, the HCMC Department of Construction has submitted a proposal to the HCMC People's Committee to implement three urban restructuring pilot projects, relocating houses on and along the canal bank in District 7 via socialized investment. The proposed pilot projects include the Song Tan pond project worth over VND21.24 trillion, the Ban Don canal project worth VND3.1 trillion, and the Ong Lon River project worth nearly VND15 trillion.

The areas of these projects are mostly temporary shelters and semi-solid houses, forming rows of dilapidated houses along the river, with many potential risks due to annual tidal floods and riverbank erosion. Therefore, they need to be relocated and redeveloped to create a new appearance for District 7, in particular, and HCMC, in general.

Regarding the socialization policy, the HCMC Department of Construction said that according to the plan to implement urban restructuring and development in the city in the 2021-2025 period and the following years, the Song Tan pond and Ban Don canal are determined to be carried out with non-budget capital sources. At the meetings, the People's Committee of District 7 proposed to add the Ong Lon River project to the socialized investment plan to be suitable with the municipal People's Committee's policy in the context of limited public investment capital.