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| Prime Minister Le Minh Hung inspects the tide flood-control project in Xom Chieu ward, Ho Chi Minh City__Photo: VNA |
Prime Minister Le Minh Hung inspected two major infrastructure projects in Ho Chi Minh City on the afternoon of October 13 during his working trip to the southern metropolis, reviewing construction progress and obstacles requiring urgent resolution.
The projects are the Tham Luong–Ben Cat–Nuoc Len Canal infrastructure and environmental improvement project and the project to combat tidal flooding in Ho Chi Minh City with climate change considerations.
At the sites, the Prime Minister heard reports on project progress, obstacles to construction, and issues requiring attention in the coming period.
The Tham Luong–Ben Cat–Nuoc Len Canal project is one of the city’s key infrastructure works. Approved by the municipal People’s Committee in 2022 and adjusted in 2025, it has a total investment of more than VND 9.03 trillion (USD 348.46 million) and is scheduled for implementation from 2021 to 2026.
Construction began on February 23, 2023, with 10 packages. The project has completed about 80 per cent of the workload, while disbursement has reached approximately 75 per cent.
Construction is proceeding across all packages, focusing on roads, pavements, canal embankments and road surfacing. Around 62km of embankments have been completed, while 48km of roads along both sides of the canals have been opened to traffic. The project is expected to improve the environment, mitigate flooding, upgrade urban landscapes and strengthen transport connectivity between Ho Chi Minh City and neighbouring localities, including Tay Ninh and Dong Nai.
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| Prime Minister Le Minh Hung (first, right) meets workers and engineers involved in the construction of infrastructure and environmental improvement works along the Tham Luong – Ben Cat – Rach Nuoc Len canal in An Nhon ward__Photo: VNA |
Meanwhile, the first phase of the tidal flood-control project, which has a total investment of VND 10 trillion, has reached approximately 95 per cent completion. Around 1,500 workers have been mobilised to accelerate construction, with handover scheduled for November.
The project targets a 570sq.km area on the right bank of the Saigon River and in the city centre, home to around 6.5 million people. Launched in 2016 under a build-transfer (BT) arrangement, it comprises six major tidal-control sluice gates, an embankment system along the Saigon River and auxiliary facilities.
Other components include approximately 7.8km of embankments and riverbank protection at vulnerable sections between Vam Thuat and Song Kinh, together with smaller sluice gates measuring 1–10 metres wide along the section from Vam Thuat to Muong Chuoi.
The central management facility and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system have also been completed. The system enables centralised operation, collects and monitors water-level and rainfall data, controls sluice gates and pumping stations, and supports warnings and waterway traffic coordination.
Originally scheduled for completion in 2018, the project has suffered repeated delays due to legal obstacles and difficulties in arranging payments to the investor.
To resolve the outstanding issues, competent authorities have introduced various policies and mechanisms, including Government Resolutions 16/2026/NQ-CP and 212/NQ-CP, National Assembly Resolution 260/2025/QH15 and Government Decree 257/2025/ND-CP.- (VNA/VLLF)
