A green and clean future for both sides of canals and waterways.

With the expectation of support from the central government, Ho Chi Minh City will achieve its goal of relocating houses on and along canals and waterways, improving the quality of life for its residents.

In late November, the landscape along Nguyen Duy Street, on the northern bank of the Doi Canal (Chanh Hung Ward), Ho Chi Minh City, had almost completely transformed.

Deadline pressure

The makeshift houses that once crowded along the canal's edge are now having their foundations and walls demolished to make way for the construction of the embankment and road widening. Machinery operates continuously, the sounds of hammers and drills mingling with the noise of people moving materials, clearly demonstrating the pressure to meet the deadline.

However, not all households in the area have completed the relocation procedures. Some houses remain lit at night because the owners have not yet handed over the land due to legal obstacles. The most common case is a dispute over inheritance rights within a family, where co-heirs have not agreed on signing compensation and resettlement assistance documents. This lack of consensus among property owners prevents the completion of the paperwork, thus affecting the progress of land acquisition.

In her house right on the canal bank, Mrs. Nguyen Thi Thang tries to hold on despite being slated for complete demolition. "My family has always complied with the city's relocation policy. We have registered for resettlement in the social housing area on Ho Ngoc Lam Street, An Lac Ward. I will only sign the relocation documents after the inheritance rights of my siblings are resolved. We are not resisting; we just need the legal procedures to be cleared," said Mrs. Thang.

Not far away, Mr. Tran Ha's house, located on Nguyen Duy Street, is subject to partial demolition for road widening. "My house has been notified to move back 5 meters from its original position. Previously, garbage and foul odors during the rainy season were a constant problem. Now that the city is renovating and making it cleaner and more beautiful, we are very happy. I hope the relocation and compensation process will be implemented quickly so that people can settle down soon," Mr. Ha expressed his hope.

The project to renovate the northern bank of the Doi Canal affects more than 1,600 households, with a total land acquisition area of ​​approximately 5.85 hectares; the total investment is over 7,300 billion VND, including dredging 4.3 km of the canal, expanding the road along the canal, constructing a new Hiep An 2 bridge, along with technical infrastructure and inland waterway terminals.

More investment is needed.

Leaving the northern bank of the Doi Canal, heading towards Binh Dong ward, along the Ba Lon canal on Pham The Hien street, the long-standing pollution clearly shows the urgent need for renovation. The water is pitch black, with patches of scum floating on the surface. Leaning stakes support the dilapidated houses along the canal.

In alley 2385, a foul odor permeates every corner, severely impacting the lives of the residents.

Mr. Van Cuong, who has lived here his whole life, confided: "When the tide rises, water floods into our houses. It's not deeply flooded, but the foul smell and prolonged pollution make everyone tired. We just hope the project will be implemented soon and we can relocate quickly so that people can escape living next to this black water."

Workers are dismantling each structure and clearing materials to expedite the land clearance process and ensure timely handover of the site for the Doi Canal renovation project.

Further east in the city, along Vo Duy Ninh Street (Thanh My Tay Ward), the Van Thanh canal is in a similar state. Beside modern high-rise buildings, at the foot of Metro Line 1, are houses barely wide enough for one person to squeeze through, with garbage piled up along the banks and rats and insects scurrying across the road. This contrasting image clearly reflects the disparity in living conditions among urban residents.

Ms. Dang Thi Tuyet Nhung, a local resident, said that the ward had organized a public consultation on the dredging and relocation plan. The residents only hope for fair compensation and prompt relocation. No one in this working-class neighborhood wants the pollution to continue for generations to come.

She added that despite numerous cleanup campaigns, garbage piles up again within weeks because some people lack awareness and dump it directly into the canal. Barbed wire fences and "no dumping" signs are also ineffective.

Over more than 30 years of relocating houses on and along canals and waterways, from 1993 to 2025, the city has relocated and cleared 44,338 houses along 4 main canals and their tributaries. Currently, there are still 398 projects/rivers, canals, and waterways that have not been implemented, with a total relocation scale of nearly 40,000 houses.

The Resolution of the First Congress of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee, term 2025-2030, set the goal of completing the relocation of 50% of houses located on and along canals and waterways in the city by the end of 2030 (20,000 houses).

Currently, Ho Chi Minh City has approved two projects: the project for urban renovation of residential areas on and along rivers, canals, and waterways in the period 2025-2030, and the project for urban renovation of residential areas on and along canals and waterways in District 8 (formerly). The total capital required to implement these two projects is 105,000 billion VND.

According to Conclusion Notice No. 235-TB/VPTW dated June 24, General Secretary To Lam directed: "More investment is needed, at a faster pace, to eliminate temporary housing on and along rivers and canals." To implement General Secretary To Lam's directive and effectively carry out the aforementioned projects, the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee requests the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment to consider providing additional support from the central government budget for climate change and environmental pollution control, managed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, amounting to 10,000 billion VND.

Create high expectations.

Canal renovation projects are generating great expectations in eliminating historically polluted areas, restoring a clean living environment and a civilized urban space for the people of Ho Chi Minh City. Recently, the Ho Chi Minh City People's Council approved the investment plan for two projects to dredge and renovate the Ba Lon Canal and the Ong Be Canal, with a total investment of over 17,000 billion VND.

Alongside these are other projects, such as: Dredging, environmental improvement, and infrastructure construction of Van Thanh canal; with a total investment of over 8,555 billion VND, of which the total cost for compensation and resettlement is approximately 6,812 billion VND; 1,077 cases of land acquisition are being actively implemented, and compensation, land clearance, support, and resettlement are currently underway. The project to dredge, improve the environment, and build infrastructure of Xuyen Tam canal (from Nhieu Loc - Thi Nghe canal to Vam Thuat river); with a total capital of 17,230 billion VND, using state budget funds, implemented in the period 2023 - 2028; the total number of affected households is 2,215...

Source: https://nld.com.vn/tuong-lai-xanh-sach-doi-bo-kenh-rach-196251205210007209.htm