HCM City’s An Suong tunnel project suspended

Construction of the first tunnel at HCM City’s An Suong intersection, which opened to traffic last year. (Photo: VNA)
 
A project to build a second branch of a double tunnel at An Suong intersection in Ho Chi Minh City’s district 12 has been suspended because affected households have refused to move and accept the compensation amount.

The information was released by the Urban Transport Management Zone No 3 under the municipal Department of Transport.

Site clearance on the tunnel, which would link district 12 and Hoc Mon district, has been slow because of the households’ refusal to move, according to Le Van Do, head of the Urban Transport Management Zone No 3’s Project Management Unit 2.

In September last year, the Hoc Mon District People’s Committee approved a plan on site clearance compensation and resettlement, but most households opposed the proposed compensation amount.

The project, which was expected to be completed by the end of last year, has been extended to the end of this year.

The project requires clearance of land and removal of 41 households near National Highway 22 in Ba Diem commune. Compensation costs 55 billion VND (2.37 million USD), under an approved plan by the Hoc Mon District People’s Committee.

According to Project Management Unit 2, only seven households have agreed to the compensation amount. The remaining households have asked for a higher rate. 

The Urban Transport Management Zone No 3 has asked the Hoc Mon District People’s Committee to resolve the compensation disagreements.

The Hoc Mon District People’s Committee has also been asked to approve the resettlement plan for the affected households.

The second branch tunnel is expected to be completed within six months after the land is handed over.

As of December, the second tunnel project had completed all seven open tunnel sections on Truong Chinh street and four out of five closed tunnel sections. 

The remaining work to be done on National Highway 22 was suspended due to ground clearance problems.

Construction on the double tunnel at An Suong intersection began in early 2017.

The first branch, which extends from downtown to outlying Cu Chi district, opened in March last year after nearly 13 months of construction.

The double tunnel project, with total capital of 514 billion VND (22.14 million USD), was originally expected to be completed within 20 months.

The total length of the two tunnels is about 850m. Each two-lane tunnel is 9m wide and 125m long, with a ceiling height of 4.75m. The maximum speed for automobiles in the tunnels will be 50km per hour.

The tunnels, which will have a life span of 100 years, were built to resist earthquakes measuring 7 on the Richter scale.

The An Suong intersection is a junction of several main streets, including Truong Chinh street and National Highway No 22.

The tunnel work is expected to ease traffic congestion at the intersection, which is known for numerous accidents and traffic jams./.

VNS/VNA