On the morning of May 10, the Ho Chi Minh City Urban Infrastructure Construction Investment Project Management Board (Ho Chi Minh City Urban Infrastructure Board) officially started the project to renovate, dredge and build infrastructure for Xuyen Tam canal.
The Xuyen Tam canal project is one of the key projects of Ho Chi Minh City, implemented to celebrate major holidays such as the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification (April 30, 1975 - April 30, 2025) and the 135th anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh's birthday (May 19, 1990 - May 19, 2025).
With a total investment of more than VND 17,229 billion from the city budget, the project will be implemented in the period of 2023 - 2028. The project is invested by the Ho Chi Minh City Urban Infrastructure Construction Investment Project Management Board.
According to the design, Xuyen Tam canal is nearly 9km long, starting from Nhieu Loc - Thi Nghe canal and ending at Vam Thuat river, flowing through Binh Thanh and Go Vap districts. The main route is 6.6km long, the rest are the branches of Cau Son, Binh Loi and Binh Trieu canals with a total length of 2.2km.
The project includes 3 construction packages: XL-01, XL-02 (in Binh Thanh District) and XL-03 (Go Vap District and part of Binh Thanh). Of which, the XL-03 package with a length of 1.3km has completed the contractor selection and started construction on the morning of May 10.
Speaking at the ceremony, Mr. Dau An Phuc - Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Urban Infrastructure Department - emphasized: "Xuyen Tam Canal used to be a part of the memories of the people of Binh Thanh and Go Vap but has degraded, polluted, caused flooding, seriously affecting people's lives. The renovation is not only a technical project, but also a practical action for the benefit of the community, towards a green - clean - livable city".
The project includes items: building a protective embankment on both sides of the bank with reinforced concrete, dredging a canal bed of 3.5m deep, building a rainwater and wastewater drainage system, a 2-lane traffic road on each side, a park, trees, lighting, underground technical infrastructure and technical cages along the route.
Currently, Go Vap District has handed over 1.1/1.3km of the XL-03 package (reaching 84.6%) and paid compensation to 99/138 affected cases. Binh Thanh District has handed over 1.14/1.3km of the route under the XL-03 package and is speeding up the clearance of the remaining part, expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2025.
For the two packages XL-01 and XL-02, Binh Thanh District has met with more than 1,600 households and received initial consensus. It is expected that the compensation, site clearance and contractor selection will be completed for construction before September 2, 2025.
At the groundbreaking ceremony, Mr. Ngo Thanh Tuan - Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee - requested the construction units to ensure progress, quality and labor safety, while focusing on environmental factors and stabilizing people's lives. Xuyen Tam Canal will be a testament to the government's commitment to urban renovation, improving people's quality of life and promoting sustainable development, Mr. Tuan emphasized.
Many people living along the canal expressed their joy and confidence in the project. Mr. Tran Van Ngoc, residing in Ward 15, Go Vap District, shared: "We have been waiting for this project for a long time. The canals are heavily polluted, flooded every time there is heavy rain. Now the city is determined to renovate, everyone is happy".
When completed, the project will help to fundamentally handle the problem of pollution and drainage, while forming a new traffic axis, a cool green public space and significantly improving the urban appearance of the central area of Ho Chi Minh City. This is also a step to realize the goal of developing a civilized, modern and environmentally friendly city.
