A corner of the Van Thanh Canal
According to Dantri reporters, the upper section of the canal is overgrown with wild vegetation and has few houses. However, downstream from Van Thanh Bridge, the canal is flanked by dense clusters of rundown homes and suffers from severe pollution caused by domestic waste.
With a total investment of over VND 8,555 billion (approximately USD 335 million), the project will rehabilitate 1,965 metres of the main canal and 275 metres of a branch canal. It will also include the construction of a riverside road, a 1-metre-wide Phu An Bridge, upgrades to Ngo Tat To Street, and a parallel road along Dien Bien Phu Street. Additionally, the project will install stormwater and wastewater drainage systems, along with a sewage collection pipeline.
Around 4.2 hectares of land will be designated for green space, public parks, and technical infrastructure along the canal.
Nguyen Thi The, 50, who has lived in a 10-square-metre house by the canal for over 30 years, said her family was excited about the plan.
“We hope the project starts soon so we no longer have to live with this heavily polluted water,” she said.
In addition to long-time residents, many people living in narrow alleys along the canal are low-income workers and tenants.
Van Thanh Canal is a key waterway for drainage and water retention and is one of two main tributaries of the Nhieu Loc–Thi Nghe basin. For years, the canal has suffered from encroachment, sediment buildup, and heavy pollution, which has severely affected drainage capacity, environmental quality, and the health and living conditions of nearby residents.
The restoration project is expected to reduce pollution, improve flood drainage, enhance the urban landscape, and raise the quality of life for local communities.