The Binh Trung ward People's Committee (formerly Thu Duc City) paid initial compensation to 17 of 67 affected households and organizations for the Luong Dinh Cua street expansion project on the afternoon of 28/9. This first phase covers about 0.6 hectares, part of the over 2.2 hectares requiring clearance.

This specific land parcel has been the primary obstacle, preventing the Luong Dinh Cua street project from being completed for over 10 years. The land is also within the planned construction area for a bridge branch, connecting this street to the Ho Chi Minh City - Long Thanh - Dau Giay expressway, which is part of the An Phu interchange project.

People processing compensation payments in Binh Trung ward on the afternoon of 28/9. Photo: Giang Anh

Compensation rates are determined by land type, such as residential, agricultural, and canal land, as well as location (main road frontage or alley). The highest rate, exceeding 170 million VND per square meter, applies to residential land fronting Luong Dinh Cua and Mai Chi Tho streets. The total compensation for all 67 cases is over 1,800 billion VND.

Arriving at the ward office to complete the payment procedures, Mr. Le Van Tru, 72, stated his family's agreement to hand over their land. About 100 square meters of his family's land along Luong Dinh Cua street was expropriated, with total compensation and support nearing 10 billion VND.

"A portion of my house was cleared, and the remaining area will be renovated by my family to stabilize our lives," said Mr. Tru. He emphasized the public's desire for the project's swift completion, given the area's frequent traffic jams and flooding over the past decade.

A section of the An Phu interchange viewed from above, with Luong Dinh Cua street in the foreground, currently held up by land clearance, in 4/2026. Photo: Quynh Tran

Luong Dinh Cua street, extending nearly 2.5 kilometers from Tran Nao to Nguyen Thi Dinh, began its expansion in 2015 with an estimated investment of 826 billion VND. To date, the Nguyen Hoang - Tran Nao section is complete, while the segment from Nguyen Hoang to Nguyen Thi Dinh, near the An Phu interchange, remains unfinished due to land clearance issues.

The uncleared land not only obstructs the street expansion but also impedes the construction of a vital bridge branch linking Luong Dinh Cua to the Ho Chi Minh City - Long Thanh - Dau Giay expressway. This prolonged delay has consequently slowed a critical component of the An Phu interchange project.

Mr. Nghiem Duy Binh, Director of Binh Trung ward's Project Management Board, stated that local authorities will continue negotiations with the remaining households. The goal is to finalize all compensation and land recovery in October, one month ahead of the city's original schedule.

Once the land is acquired, investors can proceed with the remaining components of both projects, thereby completing the traffic system at the An Phu interchange area—one of the frequently congested points at Ho Chi Minh City's eastern gateway.

Giang Anh