In early November, dozens of power poles remained along the upgraded section of Tan Ky Tan Quy Street near Nuoc Den Canal in Binh Tan District, obstructing one side of the road.
Numerous power and telecommunications cables were cut and left dangling over the road, while debris, boxes, and discarded cables accumulated around the poles.
The road expansion project, launched in March 2023 with an investment exceeding VND1.2 trillion (US$47.3 million) from the state budget, was scheduled for completion by October this year but has fallen behind schedule. Poles that once stood near homes now sit in the middle of the expanded road.
The poles were painted with red and white stripes for warning, although the colors have faded.
At the Tan Ky Tan Quy - Nuoc Den Canal intersection, several poles stand with a web of wires, forcing vehicles to navigate carefully to avoid entanglement.
On Nov. 4, the power and telecommunications unit sent staff to collect and clean up the cable bundles.
Tran Dien Anh, deputy director of the HCMC Power Grid Project Management Board (part of the Ho Chi Minh City Power Corporation), explained that the power system is usually implemented alongside road construction to ensure simultaneous completion. However, delays in clearing road space have impeded the relocation of many poles.
Walking in the road due to the lack of sidewalks, 55-year-old Nguyen Thuy remarked that while the threefold expansion of Tan Ky Tan Quy Street has improved commuting, the delays in removing poles from the middle of the road pose significant safety hazards.
"Sometimes, drivers unfamiliar with the road crash into the poles at night," she said.
Approximately 10 km away, the Duong Quang Ham Street upgrade project in Go Vap District, with an investment exceeding VND2.3 trillion, faces similar problems with poles positioned in the middle of the road, many of which are tilting.
Near the road's end by Go Vap Cultural Park, streetlights remain unfinished, posing risks of drivers crashing into the poles.
To address these issues, the power unit has directed staff to review and install additional warning signs, apply reflective tape, and clear debris and electric cables.
They plan to move poles on Tan Ky Tan Quy Street by mid-November. For Duong Quang Ham Street, all necessary equipment will be imported by year-end, aiming to complete the power system by June 2025.
