Completion date of Tham Luong – Ben Cat – Rach Nuoc Len Channel Project must be met by April 30th, 2025.

Challenges of dredging, land reclamation

Mr. Nguyen Hoang Anh Dung, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Urban Infrastructure Investment Project Management Board (investor) said that currently, all 10 bidding packages have been simultaneously implemented throughout the project. In 2024, the contractors will focus on completing construction items, along with the drainage system, road infrastructure, foundation of the park, and the entire lighting system.

After nearly 12 months of construction, the construction of the canal embankment has reached nearly 49%; the construction of centrifugal concrete piles has reached 36.3%; the treatment of weak land by cement piles has reached 51%… In terms of disbursement, the project has disbursed more than VND 3,600 billion. It is expected that in 2024, VND 2,300 billion will be disbursed.

According to Mr. Nguyen Hoang Anh Dung, the project is currently on schedule. However, there are still some difficulties such as encroachment and a lack of sand supply for filling, concrete pouring, and plastering for the project due to legal obstacles in the exploitation of mines. Specifically, the project needs approximately 1.8 million m3 of sand to complete the embankment. In order to reduce the construction time, the Board is also proposing that the contractors change their methods and prioritize construction in favorable locations to avoid “dead” time.

Representing the project supervision consultant, Mr. Tran Gia The added: “Currently, the contractors are cooperating smoothly. The most important issue is that the two units responsible for infrastructure and the two sides of the embankment need to accelerate progress during the dry season because the rainy season is very complicated for construction work.”

Ensuring completion by April 30, 2025

After hearing reports from the investor, contractors, and project supervision consultant, Mr. Phan Van Mai suggested that in the face of difficulties in sand supply, the contractors must proactively search for sources, and the city will support them instead of using the lack of sand as an excuse to slow down the progress. If there are any difficulties, report them to the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee for resolution. As for polluted sludge, bring it to Da Phuoc, and if the sludge can be filled, temporarily store it in Gò Vấp Park.

In particular, Mr. Phan Van Mai requested that the Chairpersons of districts and communes that the project passes through should not allow encroachment. If any problems arise, reasonable compensation for affected households should be calculated. Regarding this issue, Mr. Vo Trung Truc, Deputy Director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, said that the affected households have already agreed, and in February and March 2024, this issue will be resolved. It will not affect the project’s progress.

Mr. Phan Van Mai emphasized that this is a large and important project, so the investor and parties involved need to make every effort. Next week, they need to sit down and make a detailed plan to ensure that the project is completed and put into operation by April 30, the following year.

“We have to sit down and come up with a new schedule and then coordinate accordingly. For example, if the embankment is completed, then construction on the sidewalk should proceed without wasting time. Whatever can be done simultaneously, whatever can be done in parallel, should be focused on. The spirit is that we must inaugurate it by April 30, 2025. That is the progress milestone, but it does not mean that we will allow the quality to be affected. Therefore, we need to reorganize the work to shorten the time instead of doing it hastily and with poor quality,” Mr. Phan Van Mai demanded.

Also this morning, the Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee inspected the progress of the project and visited the workers at the construction site of the Phu Tho Circus and multi-functional performance venue (Tan Binh District, Ho Chi Minh City).