Residents dismantle homes for Xuyen Tam canal renovation

Dozens of households in Gia Dinh ward are urgently dismantling their homes and handing over land to build a park, initiating the Xuyen Tam canal renovation project after more than 20 years of anticipation.

Residents along Bui Huu Nghia street, Gia Dinh ward, began dismantling their homes in early May, handing over land for the Xuyen Tam canal renovation project. This key urban embellishment project, with a total investment of 17 trillion VND, encompasses a 6.7-kilometer main canal and three auxiliary branches. It is set to restart in late 2025 after over two decades of delays.

{"caption_all":null,"caption_items":"["The canal section along Bui Huu Nghia street, the starting point of the Xuyen Tam canal renovation project, is being cleared to widen existing roads, construct a riverside park, and add public space for local residents.","After relocating their belongings and assets, many households have started removing their roofs, demolishing walls, and clearing debris to hand over empty land for the project."]"}

A crane demolishes the foundation of a two-story house on Bui Huu Nghia street. According to Anh Hung, a representative from the construction unit, demolishing the approximately 70-square-meter house takes about five days and costs over ten million VND. Many components, such as iron doors, stairs, and steel frames, are salvaged and sold as scrap.

{"caption_all":"Many homeowners hire four to five workers to dismantle their homes and collect materials, with debris and scrap piled along the roadside awaiting transport out of the cleared area.","caption_items":"["","",""]"}

While some houses have been completely dismantled, Mr. Son, 70 years old, is busy packing his television, refrigerator, washing machine, and other belongings into cartons, preparing to move to a new residence. Having lived in his 58-square-meter home since 1980, he stated his family received 170 million VND per square meter in compensation. Despite this, he feels a sense of regret leaving his familiar home.

About 50 meters away, Mrs. Tran Thi Hong Dao, 53 years old, clears belongings from her family's 42-square-meter single-story house before handing over the land. She will move to a new home about 2 kilometers away. Her family has lived in this location for over 70 years. The family received 5.1 billion VND in compensation. "We accept relocation so the project can be implemented soon, even though the compensation is lower than our expectations," she said.

{"caption_all":"On the canal bank opposite Bui Huu Nghia street, dozens of households are also dismantling their homes and handing over land to expand the canal's green corridor. For many years, Xuyen Tam canal has been severely polluted by waste and domestic wastewater. Encroachment on the canal bed and haphazard housing have degraded the area, significantly affecting residents' lives.","caption_items":"["",""]"}

An excavator levels the ground after demolition, preparing for project construction.

Many houses designated for clearance have been fully dismantled and their land handed over, but a significant number of neighboring households have not yet relocated. The Xuyen Tam canal renovation project, divided into three packages, still has over 40% of cases where contiguous land has not been handed over. Ho Chi Minh City has urged local authorities to accelerate mobilization efforts, arrange resettlement, and complete site clearance by late June.