The section running under Ba Vi Street has yet to be renovated. The canal bed remains clogged with household waste.
Authorities in Ho Chi Minh City are expediting work on the long-delayed renovation of the A41 canal in Tan Binh District in a bid to tackle chronic flooding in the southern area of Tan Son Nhat International Airport.
Stretching roughly 1 kilometre, the A41 canal begins from two drainage outlets inside the airport, flowing through Phan Thuc Duyen, Do Son, Ba Vi, Giai Phong, and Cong Hoa streets before entering an underground culvert system connected to the Nhieu Loc–Thi Nghe canal.
Construction is currently under way along several sections, including parts of Do Son and Giai Phong streets. Most of the residential properties along the canal have been cleared and the land handed over to contractors.
However, the section running under Ba Vi Street has yet to be renovated. The canal bed remains clogged with household waste such as styrofoam, plastic bottles, and plastic bags. Untreated wastewater continues to flow directly into the canal, causing severe pollution.
Nguyen Van Thu, a local resident, said the canal project had been mentioned as far back as a decade ago but was delayed due to land clearance issues. “Flooding and pollution have plagued this neighbourhood for years. I’m relieved to see work finally beginning and hope this time we’ll have a clean and open drainage system,” he said.
Following drainage upgrades, contractors will rebuild the road, sidewalks, lighting system, green space, and underground utility corridors along the canal.
The project has a total investment of VND 140 billion (approximately USD 5.5 million), not including land clearance costs, and is scheduled for completion in the second quarter of 2026.
According to the Tan Binh District Land Clearance and Compensation Board, 142 households and organisations are affected by the project. Compensation procedures are still pending with some residents, but the district aims to complete land clearance by the third quarter of this year for full handover to the construction unit.
Originally approved in 2016 with a targeted completion date of 2019, the A41 canal project has faced repeated delays due to prolonged land acquisition difficulties. In late 2024, the HCMC Department of Construction approved a revised timeline for the project.
