The newly exploited underpass is flooded
On the morning of February 13, after an unseasonal rain, the underpass at the Nguyen Van Linh - Nguyen Huu Tho intersection (District 7, Ho Chi Minh City) from National Highway 1 to Tan Thuan was flooded 30-40cm deep on a 50m long section. This situation caused many vehicles to have difficulty moving, some cars stalled right at the beginning of the tunnel. By 3:00 p.m. the same day, the water had receded completely, and traffic through the area gradually stabilized.
It is worth mentioning that this project has a total investment of 830 billion VND with two two-way tunnel branches, opened to traffic in October and December 2024, respectively. According to the investor, the cause of the flooding is that garbage clogs the water collection system and pipes, making it impossible for water to drain in time.
The underpass in front of the new Mien Dong bus station (Thu Duc City) is also in a similar situation. Although built on a modern scale, the tunnel is 670m long and 8m wide, with an investment of 75 billion VND, but has been continuously flooded since it was put into operation in early 2023. The investor explained the reason was due to the pump's problem and the waste causing congestion in the drainage system.
Previously, in 2023, the An Suong underpass (District 12) was also flooded more than 20cm deep on a 50m long section from National Highway 22 to the center of Ho Chi Minh City, causing cars to move slowly to avoid water flooding into the engine. Tan Tao underpass (Binh Tan district) was also seriously flooded in 2023, causing many motorbikes to be stuck in the water, unable to continue moving.
Adding pumps, tightening operations
Ho Chi Minh City is implementing many major intersection projects, combining underpasses and overpasses to reduce congestion, including the An Phu intersection (Thu Duc City) with two underpasses expected to be completed this year. However, the situation of underpasses being flooded during heavy rain not only causes traffic obstruction but also loses the inherent efficiency of the project. Therefore, ensuring that underpasses are not flooded becomes an urgent task, especially when the city is increasingly developing with a modern infrastructure system.
Mr. Luong Minh Phuc - Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Traffic Construction Investment Project Management Board, said that all underpasses such as An Suong, Nguyen Van Linh, the tunnel in front of the new Mien Dong bus station... are equipped with pump systems. When it rains, the water will be taken into the tank, then the pump will pump water into the city's general drainage system. However, for this system to operate effectively, it is necessary to ensure that the pump operates continuously and is regularly maintained.
"During the process of transferring the project to the management unit, some incidents occurred due to lack of strict control. If the pump is broken or not put into operation in time, the water will not drain, causing flooding in the underpass. The Traffic Department is urgently completing handover procedures and closely coordinating with units to ensure the pump system operates continuously, avoiding recurring flooding" - Mr. Phuc said.
A representative of the Road Traffic Infrastructure Management Center (under the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Public Transport) also affirmed that for the underpasses that have been handed over, the unit will arrange additional pumps and mobile generators to be ready to respond when flooding occurs. At the same time, maintenance of the pump system will be carried out more regularly to ensure smooth operation.
After the flooding of the Nguyen Van Linh - Nguyen Huu Tho underpass, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Public Security has requested the Ho Chi Minh City Traffic Construction Investment Project Management Board to take responsibility for the flooding, conduct a comprehensive inspection and determine the exact cause. From there, propose fundamental solutions to ensure the quality, safety of the project and avoid affecting traffic organization in the coming time.
