Saigon river bank damaged by construction works

Starting from Binh Phuoc province, Saigon river runs through the southern provinces of Tay Ninh and Binh Duong before reaching HCMC, with an 80km stretch of the river in the city.

With a boat tour along the river, visitors can see many construction works along the river banks.

Dozens of houses are built on water along the river from District 12 to District 2, Binh Thanh, Thu Duc and Go Vap districts.

Construction of embankments along the riverbanks has narrowed the river. A dozen houses and buildings have been erected along the riverbank in Thu Duc District.

Construction works and houses have also been built along the bank of the Sai Gon River in Thao Dien Ward in District 2.

In order to deal with the situation, HCMC People’s Committee asked the city’s Department of Planning and Architecture to form a joint team with officials from the Department for Tourism, the Institute for Research and Development of HCMC, the Transport Department, the Tan Thuan Industrial Promotion Company Limited (IPC), the management board of the South Saigon Urban Area and the city’s steering board of the Flood Combating Programme.

The team were asked to re-consider planning development and management of the construction works on the banks of the Saigon river.

They found Saigon river banks were occupied by 83 construction projects for residential areas, apartment complexes and amusement parks, covering over 45ha.

About 76 works under these projects are affecting corridor areas that protect the rivers and canals. These areas are protected from encroachment under the city’s construction regulations.

The encroachment of the safety corridors and banks of the Saigon river had affected the stream flow of the river and posed risks of collapse of sections of the banks, architect Ngo Viet Nam Son.

Each construction project will be examined and measures will be taken to deal with all of them.

The projects which violate the regulations on protection of riverbank safety (that occurred after the regulations were issued in 2004) must be removed to ensure riverbank safety.

HCMC’s Department of Planning and Architecture also asked the city People’s Committee to step up inspections and impose stricter punishment on companies and individuals who encroach illegally on riverbank corridors.