Over 30 deteriorated tenements, built more than four decades ago, in District 5, Ho Chi Minh City will be revamped this year at a cost of VND260 billion (US$1.12 million), according to local authorities.

The People’s Committee of District 5 said it would spend the amount of money chiefly on waterproofing, drainage systems, wall painting, and common area paving at 34 worn-out tenements, all constructed in 1975.

A large part of the fund will be allocated to renovation work at 14H Do Van Suu, 187 Luong Nhu Hoc, and 48 An Duong Vuong tenements, where over 1,000 households are living.

Your correspondent found during a visit to the 77A Huynh Man Dat tenement that a matrix of pumpers and water pipes occupied the foot of the stair.  

Then came a cluster of water pipes and electric wires running along the stair and diverging to each floor like a spider’s web.

Other components of the apartment building were also in run-down conditions.

Around the stair, your correspondent saw multiple cracks, some sections exposing the steel inside, while water was leaking from the walls to the balconies.

Cracks also covered the ceilings, where prolonged water leakage had caused patches of moss to develop. Many parts of the beams already lost their coating, even exposing the steel core.  

“We expect the government to find out the cause of the leakage soon and make comprehensive renovations to improve our life,” a local resident said.

The 77A Huynh Man Dat and 776 Tran Hung Dao tenements, close to each other, will be repaired this year, with expenses estimated at VND950 million ($41,000), according to a District 5 plan.

Last year the district administration revamped 22 old and dilapidated tenements at a cost of VND6.8 billion ($295,000), including one at 1029 Nguyen Trai.

Repairs to this tenement finished on December 20, after a month of renovation.

That was the first time since 1975 the tenement had been repaired.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!