These projects aim to improve the city’s main drainage system, address long-standing pollution, and relocate households living along the canals to safer housing.
During the fifth session on the morning of November 14, the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Council approved a Resolution on the investment policy for the Ba Lon Canal dredging, environmental improvement and urban renovation project. The project aims to unblock one of the city’s seven key drainage channels and tackle years of pollution and encroachment along both sides of the canal.
The project investor is the Ho Chi Minh City Urban Infrastructure Construction Investment Project Management Board. The total investment of more than VND9,228 billion (US$350 million) is allocated for compensation, resettlement support, construction costs, project management, consulting services, other expenses and contingency funds.
The city plans to allocate VND5 billion (US$189,700) for the 2021–2025 period, and more than VND9,223 billion (US$350 million) for 2026–2030 to complete the project. Construction will begin in 2025 and finish in 2030. From 2026 to 2029, the project will focus on preparing and appraising the feasibility study report, site clearance, design, contractor selection and construction.
The Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee said that the Ba Lon Canal plays a key role in storing water and channeling flows from the city center to the south through the Doi Canal.
Currently, both sides of the canal are not only severely polluted, but many sections also lack solid embankments, posing a risk of erosion. Therefore, comprehensive dredging, environmental restoration, and urban upgrading are considered as extremely necessary and urgent.
At the same time, the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Council also approved a resolution to invest in the dredging, environmental improvement and urban renovation project for the Ong Be Canal and its branches. The project has a total investment of more than VND7,785 billion (US$295.4 million) from the city budget. It aims to address prolonged flooding, improve surface water quality and relocate canal-side households to support urban renewal.
The project investor is the Ho Chi Minh City Urban Infrastructure Construction Investment Project Management Board. The total investment includes compensation, resettlement support, construction costs, project management, consulting services, other expenses and contingency funds. The city plans to allocate VND5 billion (US$189,700) for the 2021–2025 period and more than VND7,780 billion (US$295.2 million) for the 2026–2030 period.
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