Nearly 100 trees on Hoang Hoa Tham Street in Tan Binh District under Ho Chi Minh City have been either chopped down or relocated to make space for a project to expand the road leading to the Tan Son Nhat International Airport.

The road expansion is aimed at helping ease traffic congestion near the airport area. 

It was necessary to fell or relocate these trees to make room for the project, according to the Ho Chi Minh City Infrastructure Management Center under the municipal Department of Construction, and other departments.

The trees, which were weak, or cost too much for care and relocation, were cut down.

After the felling, logs were handed to the center for auction or management.

Logs piled up on a pavement along Hoang Hoa Tham Street after the felling. Photo: Phuong Nhi / Tuoi Tre

“There is no better way to make space for the project than relocating or felling these trees,” said a representative of the Transportation Works Construction Investment Project Management Authority of Ho Chi Minh City, which is the investor of the road expansion project. 

The representative also underlined that the authority would replant trees on the pavements along Hoang Hoa Tham Street after the project was finished.

The number of replanted trees will be higher than that of the removed ones, the representative pledged.

A map shows a section (red line) of Hoang Hoa Tham Street in Tan Binh District, Ho Chi Minh City that will be expanded. Graphic: Phuong Nhi / Tuoi Tre

The expansion of a nearly-800-meter-long section of Hoang Hoa Tham Street is set to carry a price tag of over VND250 billion (US$9.8 million).

As planned, the section, stretching from Cong Hoa Street to Tan Son Nhat International Airport, will be widened to 22 meters from 10 meters.

Work on the project began on Tuesday, after the district handed over cleared land to the investor.

The project is slated for completion in late 2024.

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