Saigon has come a long way when it comes to removing the slums that once lined nearly every intercity waterway, but tens of thousands of dwellings still remain. As the city pushes ahead with modernization efforts, it has pledged to take down these shanty houses once and for all at enormous monetary cost.
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Last month, the city’s construction department announced that it will remove the slums to keep canals clean and reduce flooding, according to Vietnam News.
Though Saigon authorities have identified 17,000 shanty houses across the city, the figure is likely much higher as surveys have not included 67 canals in Districts 7, 8 and 12.
Given the large number, the city has given priority to 11,600 houses that are located along the most polluted canals at a cost of US$568.8 million over the next five years.
Part of this number includes more than 800 dwellings located in Binh Thanh District’s Van Thanh trench through which the city’s first metro line will travel.
The municipal People's Committee recently approved a plan to relocated residents on a 2km stretch of the trench that runs from Dien Bien Phu Street to the Nhieu Loc - Thi Nghe canal crossroads.
In addition to addressing drainage obstructions caused by garbage dumped by locals, the slums will be replaced by new roads along the trench.
Here are some photos of similar efforts undertaken between 2003 and 2014:
[Top photo via Followingmyfeet]
