Construction to widen the Ho Chi Minh City–Trung Luong–My Thuan Expressway has disrupted water supply and drainage, leaving large areas of agricultural land in Binh Duc Commune, Tay Ninh Province, unable to be cultivated.
The Ministry of Construction has instructed the project investor and contractor to resolve the issue and ensure the area's long-term water supply and drainage capacity.
Following reports from readers, SGGP reporters visited the Ho Chi Minh City–Trung Luong–My Thuan Expressway section passing through Binh Duc Commune on the afternoon of July 31. Along the route, many fields were overgrown with weeds because farmers had been unable to plant their summer-autumn crops.
Nguyen Van Xuyen, head of Hamlet 3 Thanh Duc in Binh Duc Commune, said that by this time in previous years, local farmers had already completed sowing, but this year many fields have been left idle due to a lack of irrigation water.
According to Xuyen, the expressway's drainage system serves both to remove excess water and to channel water from the Vam Co River into surrounding farmland for agricultural production. Construction work to widen the expressway has caused soil and rocks to block water flow at several locations, interrupting irrigation to the fields. As a result, residents were unable to bring water into their fields in time for this year's summer-autumn crop.
Agriculture is the primary source of income for residents of Hamlet 3 Thanh Duc. Disruptions to the irrigation and drainage system have left many fields without water. For vegetable plots planted before the canals were blocked, farmers have had to dig wells, rent pumps, and install pipelines to draw water from the Vam Co River, significantly increasing production costs.
The blocked waterways have also reduced the area's drainage capacity. "Recently, whenever there has been heavy rain, water has flooded our gardens and homes, affecting daily life. As the rainy season approaches its peak, the risk of flooding in vegetable fields and farmland is very high. We hope the local authorities will work with the expressway expansion project's investor to develop a long-term solution," said Ha Thi Sau, a resident of Binh Duc Commune.
Seeking a long-term solution
Speaking with SGGP, Phan Thanh Phuong, a specialist with the Economic Division of Binh Duc Commune, Tay Ninh Province, said residents' complaints accurately reflect the current situation. Local authorities have met with Saigon–My Thuan Expressway BOT Co., Ltd., the investor for the Ho Chi Minh City–Trung Luong–My Thuan Expressway expansion project, Road Management Area IV, and the contractor to inspect the site and identify solutions.
Following the inspection, the contractor deployed equipment to dredge and clear blocked drainage canals along the expressway and implemented temporary drainage measures appropriate for each phase of embankment construction. Local authorities will monitor the restoration of blocked canals and promptly address residents' concerns to ensure construction does not continue to disrupt agricultural production and daily life.
The Ministry of Construction has also responded to residents' complaints in Binh Duc Commune. The ministry instructed the investor and contractor to promptly clear blocked waterways and implement temporary drainage solutions suitable for each construction phase to maintain drainage capacity while minimizing impacts on residents' daily lives and agricultural activities.
The Ministry of Construction also directed Saigon–My Thuan Expressway BOT Company and the project's consulting unit to study and develop engineering solutions that will ensure the area's long-term drainage capacity. Specifically, the section of the Ho Chi Minh City–Trung Luong–My Thuan Expressway between Km23 and Km26 passing through Binh Duc Commune will include a longitudinal drainage system and a cross-drainage system consisting of one box culvert and four concrete circular culverts.
The Ho Chi Minh City - Trung Luong - My Thuan expressway expansion project is of significant importance to the socio-economic development of the Mekong Delta region. During construction, certain impacts on the lives and production of local people are unavoidable. However, along with immediate solutions to clear the waterways, it is crucial that the investor and construction unit promptly finalize design solutions to ensure stable and long-term water supply and drainage, minimizing similar impacts during construction and after the project is put into operation.
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