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Rivers to ease traffic glut
The city has drawn up a plan until 2020 to reduce traffic congestion on land by improving waterway transport, according to the HCM City Transport Department.
Speaking at a conference yesterday in HCM City, Tran The Ky, Deputy Director of the city's Department of Transport, said the city had potential to develop river transport.
According to the plan, the city would maintain and upgrade the existing waterway system and seek new waterway routes.
In addition, it would upgrade or build new ports in the city to help boats or vessels easily connect with seaports in HCM City, and from HCM City with other neighbouring and Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta provinces.
Phan Hoang Tri, Deputy Director of the Department of Transport's River Waterway Administration, said well-developed waterway transport could reduce traffic congestion on the roads.
Travelling by waterway also would help commuters save 40 percent of their time compared with traveling by land, Tri added. According to the city's Department of Transport, HCM City has nearly 973 kilometres of rivers, canals and arroyos that account for about 16 per cent of the city land area.
In particular, the Tau Hu – Ben Nghe canal in the city centre, one of the key waterways that connects HCM City with Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta provinces, is an important waterway in the city.
The canal is especially busy with traffic travelling on it, following the opening of the East – West Highway.
The canal does not end within the District 1 area, but at the Sai Gon River, connecting with Vam Thuat River and Ben Luc River of Long An Province and Doi – Te, which creates an extensive waterway within the city.
Ky, Deputy Director of the city's Department of Transport, emphasised that the Tau Hu – Ben Nghe canal could help reduce traffic congestion at major roads in HCM City such as Ha Noi Highway, Xuyen A Highway and others.
Under the plan, the city would put into operation three river waterway routes that start from Nha Rong Wharf.
These routes are Nha Rong Wharf-Sai Gon River-Vam Thuat River-An Loc Bridge in Go Vap District; Nha Rong Wharf-Tau Hu-Ben Nghe Canal-T-junction of Cho Dem River in Binh Chanh District; and Nha Rong Wharf-lower section of Sai Gon River-Sai Gon Port-Te Canal under Tan Thuan Bridge-Doi Canal in District 8.
The River Waterway Administration is also conducting research on the Nha Rong Wharf-Sai Gon River-Vam Thuat River-An Loc Bridge, and has chosen 30 sites as ports and wharves for this route.
It will submit the results of the study and assessment to the HCM City People's Committee after Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday.
Challenges
Despite the city's many advantages, implementing the planning of a waterway network has faced many challenges, Ky said.
Tides, for example, rise and fall twice a day, making it difficult for vessels to travel on the river.
Another problem is that many bridges in the city have a very low clearance level that makes big vessels impossible to pass through under the bridge when the tide comes.
The plan calls for capital mobilisation from state funds and official development assistance (ODA). Not many businesses are interested in the sector as it requires a lot of capital.
The planning for a waterway network also calls for consideration of the environmental impact.
In addition, the fuel costs of boats and vessels is 1.5 to two times as high as that of automobiles or buses, making it more expensive to travel by boats, Ky noted.
The government should offer more favourable conditions or incentives for businesses to invest in the construction of a waterway network in the city, he said.
According to the plan, HCM City would have 87 waterway routes with a total length of more than 574 kilometres, of which the inner city would have three waterway routes.
Xuan Hiep
vietnamnews
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