HCMC – The Tham Luong-Ben Cat canal rehabilitation project in HCMC is encountering a shortage of 1.8 million cubic meters of sand required for constructing roads along the city’s longest waterway.

The issue was brought to the attention of Chairman of HCMC People’s Committee Phan Van Mai during his field trip on February 17. According to the contractor, the surge in demand for sand, driven by multiple infrastructure projects underway, has made it increasingly difficult to procure the necessary amount. This shortage threatens to delay the project's completion date, originally slated for April next year. This year marks a critical phase in the project's timeline, with a focus on crucial tasks such as embankment construction, road development, bridge construction, and drainage system establishment. The contractor has managed to complete around 50% of the total project volume thus far. Spanning nearly 32 kilometers across seven districts -- 12, Binh Tan, Tan Phu, Tan Binh, Go Vap, Binh Thanh, and Binh Chanh, the canal renovation project needs an investment of VND8.2 trillion.