Urban development can change the environment through, for example, expanding paved areas and preventing rainwater from being absorbed by the soil, increasing flooding, especially in low-lying areas, they pointed out.
Architect Ngo Viet Nam Son said the growing concentration of people and construction works are among the causes of the city’s congestion and flooding.
“The city has focused too much urban development in its inner areas,” he said.
It needs to develop clusters of urban areas instead of focusing too much on the downtown, he said.
“The lack of green spaces and water bodies is another cause.”
For instance, poor solid-waste management could block rainwater and sewage drains, leading to waterlogging and flooding, he said.
The city should reduce the density of social infrastructure in its central areas and increase green spaces and water bodies there, he said.
He also said underground spaces in the central area require reservoirs to store rainwater to prevent flooding.
Dr Ho Long Phi said it is important to improve the capacity of the sewer system, create reservoirs to store rainwater and dredge canals to keep tides low.
“But the cost of anti-flood works is so high that the city cannot afford it and it requires private investment.”
The poor regulation of construction of apartment buildings and inadequate waste management could be another reason for flooding, he said.
It should be made mandatory for property developers to increase green spaces and water surface areas to increase water storage and drainage capacity to prevent flooding, he added.
Major traffic works
An official from the city Department of Transport said work on major traffic works would be sped up to address congestion, including Ring Roads 2, 3 and 4, and metro line Nos 1 and 2.
It would soon open the HCMC– Moc Bai Expressway, expand the HCMC- Trung Luong and HCMC - Long Thanh – Dau Giay expressways and build the HCMC– Thu Dau Mot - Chon Thanh Highway, he said.
It would widen National Highways 1, 50 and 13 and build a number of new bridges such as Rach Doi, Thu Thiem 3 and 4, Binh Quoi, Can Gio, Phu Xuan 2B, Cat Lai, and Truong Phuoc, he added.
To address flooding, the city plans to soon begin work on the third phase of a project to improve the Ben Nghe - Tau Hu - Doi - Te Canal water environment, improve the drainage and wastewater networks and begin climate change mitigation works in the west.
It will renovate seven main drainage systems at canals such as Ba Tieng, Xom Cui, Ba Lon, Thu Dao, Ong Be, and Thay Tieu.
It will also speed up the first phase of a VND10 trillion project to tackle flooding caused by high tides.
