Life is about to get tough for commuters on Nguyen Huu Canh Street.
In an interview with Zing, Director of the Urban Traffic Management No 1 Nguyen Vinh Ninh confirmed that the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Transport had greenlit the plan to upgrade Nguyen Huu Canh Street to mollify flooding.
As local residents know, the section of Nguyen Huu Canh that connects Ton Duc Thang Street in District 1 with the Saigon Bridge frequently falls victim to severe water accumulation during the rainy season. A detailed proposal to remedy that was put forth back in November 2017 with a price tag of VND472 billion (US$20.8 million).
Ninh added that after figuring out the details regarding contractors, the project will commence in November, lasting for 14 months. The city budget will shoulder the cost of completing the project, including revamping the foundation and sewage system, planting new trees, installing street lights, etc. It will work within the existing road boundaries to avoid having to reclaim land and relocating local households.
According to Deputy Director of the HCMC Department of Transport Vo Khanh Hung, the plan aims to thoroughly upgrade and repair Nguyen Huu Canh to ensure traffic safety and water drainage. Hung shared that while the project is ongoing, the city will continue using pumps to minimize flooding on site.
Before moving forward with the revamp effort, Saigon authorities might need to iron out some issues surrounding the “super pump” on Nguyen Huu Canh so that the facility can continue doing its job.
At the end of August, Quang Trung Industry Group — the owner of the super pump — told the HCMC People’s Committee and relevant government agencies that it would cease activity of the pump from August 31 due to lack of funding.
According to a report by the group, since its installation in September 2017, the “super pump” has been activated 31 times during downpours with 29 successes and two failures due to congestion. However, since the contract was signed on April 19 this year, the city still hasn’t come up with the proposed fee.
