Thu Duc City bridge construction resumes after 4-year standoff over land

By Thanh Tung, Gia Minh    June 4, 2023 | 02:00 am PT
Construction of the Nam Ly Bridge over the Rach Chiec River in Thu Duc City is set to resume after 50 protesting families agreed to hand over their lands.
Thu Duc City bridge construction resumes after 4-year standoff over land

To cost more than VND900 billion (US$38.7 million), the bridge and access ramps on Do Xuan Hop Street will be 750 m long and 20 m wide.

Work first started in October 2016 to replace a degraded bridge which had become too small to handle the exploding traffic. But for the next four years the work stalled as 54 families refused to hand over their lands.

Thu Duc City bridge construction resumes after 4-year standoff over land

Recently 50 of them changed their minds and handed over their lands.

Luong Minh Phuc, director of the city Transportation Works Construction Investment Project Management Authority, which oversees the project, said after receiving the site in April the contractor immediately dispatched workers and equipment to resume construction.

Thu Duc City bridge construction resumes after 4-year standoff over land

A house on Do Xuan Hop Street is being knocked down on May 31 to make way for the bridge.

Thu Duc City bridge construction resumes after 4-year standoff over land

Other houses along the two sides of the street are also being demolished.

Thu Duc City bridge construction resumes after 4-year standoff over land

Those with large plots of land have started to build new houses or refurbish whatever is left of their houses.

Thu Duc City bridge construction resumes after 4-year standoff over land

A house whose owner agreed to sell his land for the project years ago. It now lies dozens of meters away from the street.

Thu Duc City bridge construction resumes after 4-year standoff over land

Dang Thi Luom, who sells live poultry, said: “Business was good back in the day but we have kept losing customers ever since we moved back here. With more construction coming, it will be even more difficult for us to do business.”

Thu Duc City bridge construction resumes after 4-year standoff over land

Four families are still holding out, disagreeing with the compensation amount paid for the lands.

But the authorities plan to evict them within this month.

Thu Duc City bridge construction resumes after 4-year standoff over land

Engineers and workers build a girder for the bridge on May 31.

The bridge is scheduled to be completed next year.

Thu Duc City bridge construction resumes after 4-year standoff over land

Vehicles on Do Xuan Hop Street near the bridge construction site on May 31.

Thu Duc City chairman Hoang Tung said Nam Ly Bridge is a significant project that would ease congestion on Do Xuan Hop Street.

 
 
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