Ho Chi Minh City plans to allocate 1,800 billion VND to resolve An Phu interchange land clearance issues

The city expects to advance 1,800 billion VND to clear 2,2 hectares of a "bottleneck" that has persisted for over 10 years, accelerating the An Phu interchange and Luong Dinh Cua street projects.

On the afternoon of 17/3, Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Nguyen Van Duoc conducted a site inspection in Binh Trung ward (former Thu Duc city), where a plan was proposed. This approach is considered a viable solution to expedite the An Phu interchange and Luong Dinh Cua street projects, which have faced prolonged land clearance delays for many years.

The unresolved land area, spanning over 2,2 hectares, stretches along Luong Dinh Cua street, specifically the section from Nguyen Hoang to the An Phu interchange. This affects 64 households and organizations. The land is crucial for three interconnected projects: the An Phu Development Urban Area, the Luong Dinh Cua street expansion, and the An Phu interchange. Legal complexities have stalled compensation efforts for an extended period.

Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Nguyen Van Duoc (left) listens to a report on the construction progress of the An Phu interchange, on the afternoon of 17/3. Photo: Giang Anh.

Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Nguyen Van Duoc (left) listens to a report on the construction progress of the An Phu interchange, on the afternoon of 17/3. Photo: Giang Anh.

The proposed plan involves the city adjusting the project boundary to integrate the problematic land into the Luong Dinh Cua street expansion project. This will allow for the development of a compensation plan and the advancement of funds to pay affected residents. With the land cleared, construction units can proceed with building the bridge branch that connects to the Ho Chi Minh City – Long Thanh – Dau Giay expressway, simultaneously completing the Luong Dinh Cua route. All legal procedures will be processed concurrently.

Chairman Nguyen Van Duoc endorsed this approach, instructing relevant units to finalize the necessary documents for implementation. He emphasized that land clearance is a key factor in accelerating both projects at the city's eastern gateway, particularly the An Phu interchange, which aims for completion this year. Once fully operational, the project is expected to reduce traffic congestion and improve connectivity to Long Thanh airport.

Luong Dinh Cua street is on the right side of the image; prolonged land clearance issues affect the An Phu interchange project. Photo: Quynh Tran.

Luong Dinh Cua street is on the right side of the image; prolonged land clearance issues affect the An Phu interchange project. Photo: Quynh Tran.

The current impasse primarily stems from difficulties in determining compensation responsibility. In 2000, the city approved the An Phu Urban Area infrastructure project, encompassing over 87 hectares. Over 85 hectares of this land were assigned to Thu Thiem Real Estate Joint Stock Company, while the State managed the remaining approximately 2,2 hectares for road expansion.

During the project's implementation, authorities maintained that the urban area's investor was responsible for compensation, citing that the land acquisition decision covered the entire area. The enterprise, however, argued that the 2,2 hectares fell within the road corridor, not the project's scope, and therefore they had no payment obligation. Further complicating matters, component projects had not yet contributed sufficient funds or resettlement capital, hindering overall progress.

Despite numerous meetings among various departments and sectors, no resolution has been reached due to complex procedures involving multiple stakeholders. The city will continue reviewing legal documents. If responsibility is clearly determined, the investor will be required to reimburse any advanced funds.