SGTT - According to Inland Waterways Management in HCM city, Department of Transport & Traffic has approved guidelines for Daily Limited Company plans public passenger transport by waterway in HCM City.

Mr. Nguyen Kim Toan, Director of Daily Company said the reason which makes his company wish to participate in the public passenger transport by waterway is he himself clearly sees the potential of this method. It is a long term solution to help reduce the load for the road traffic. If to be formed, the river bus also contributes to create additional value for tourism activities and other community activities in HCM City.

According to preliminary plans that Japanese companies often portrayed, buses on the river will be divided into two phases. In particular, the phase 1 pilot with the following two lines:

Route 1: a length of about 25km, starting at An Loc, An Hoa - Binh Loi, Thanh Da - Sai Gon River- Te canal – Ong Lon canal – Dia canal – Doi canal - Phu Xuan River. The route of this line will be divided into three sections. Each section will have six stations to pick guests up.

Section 1: from An Loc – Mieu Noi - Binh Loi - Fatima - Binh Trieu 3 - Thanh Da - Thao Dien, a length of about 8km, the total travelling time and picking guests up about 24 minutes. At this section, the height of broadside of boat not exceeding 1.8 m for active transport across Binh Loi bridge and Kinh bridge.

Section 2: from Thao Dien - Thanh Da - Ung Van Khiem - Tran Nao - Ngo Tat To, Him Lam Zone – Bach Dang, with a length of about 7km, the total of travelling time in this section is 23 minutes. In this section will use the large ship with capacity of 100 guests for clearance of the bridges here are standard.

Section 3: from Bach Dang Wharf – Te canal - Phu My Hung, with a length of 10 km, the total of travelling time is 27 minutes. Due to the clearance of Rach Ong bridge and Rach Dia bridge are low, have to use small ships, with a height of broadside not exceeding 1.8 m.

Route 2: from Ben Nghe to Tau Hu with a total length of about 12km, six stations to pick guests up, the total of traveling time about 30 minutes. The line will use large ship because the clearance of bridges is standard.

To implement the pilot lines, investors will have to build four center of terminals, each route will be invested four ships, departure time will be equidistant every 15 minutes/ ship in rush hour. Estimated investment capital for this route is at least VND 70 billion.

Bus boat is afraid of bridges

As a teacher of Training College Waterway Transport & Traffic 2, the investment in the river bus routes will be really effective when all routes have been exploited in synchronic. If the current focus on developing only the routes are relatively favorable for the clearance of bridge as well as the depth of river and canal without considering the connections all routes each other, sooner or later we will be bankrupt. In 1995 - 1996, HCMC had organized bus boat on the Saigon River, from Bach Dang Wharf - Thanh Da to Ben Duoc, Cu Chi District, but after only a short time, had to stop work due to absence guests and losses.

If we want to deploy synchronization of all bus routes by waterway, besides reinforcing embankments, dredging rivers and canals, we must improve the bridge over the river and canal to ensure the clearance as stipulated. According to the plans of HCM City, in the canals and channels of level 6 (minimum), the bridges must also have a clearance at least 2.5m height (the clearance of bridge is calculated when the tide is at the highest level). But, in the reality, there are a lot of bridges with clearance of about 1m.

For example, Le Van Sy bridge over Nhieu Loc canal - Thi Nghe, the clearance height of bridge is only 1m, cannot exploit river bus routes. "Only on the route Nhieu Loc canal - Thi Nghe currently has about 20 bridges which do not meet standards about the clearance as stipulation No.66 of City People's Committee about network planning of waterway & ports and wharves until year of 2020" Mr. Phan Hoang Tri, Deputy Director of Inland Waterway Management of HCM City said.

As Mr. Tri, to improve the clearance for a series of bridges as stipulation of decision No. 66 must spend a lot of money and take a long time.

Đào Lê

www.sgtt.com.vn