Thanh Chuong: Road to commune center seriously eroded

The route connecting National Highway 46C to the center of Thanh Xuan commune, Thanh Chuong district is the only road connecting Thanh Xuan commune with neighboring communes and the National Highway. However, due to being formed on weak ground, combined with heavy rains since the beginning of December 2018, the road has suffered serious landslides.

On January 12, when we arrived, we recorded that the landslide was seriously cracking. The slope of the roadbed on the edge of the Dao River had collapsed and slid down the road to the riverbank; there were cracks 10-20 cm wide on the roadbed stretching about 150m, sinking about 30 cm below the road surface. Currently, this road is at risk of further subsidence and cracking.

Thanh Chuong district officials inspect landslides and cracks on the road leading to the center of Thanh Xuan commune. Photo by Thach Quynh.

Faced with the above situation, Thanh Xuan commune has put up warning signs and assigned staff to be on duty to guide people and vehicles through the landslide area.

On January 8, 2019, Thanh Chuong district reported on the condition of this road. The report of Thanh Chuong district People's Committee clearly stated: The roadbed section Km0+220 - Km0+500 is located next to the river bank and landslides often occur. During the recent rain, at Km0+249.32 - Km0 + 386.23, the negative slope of the roadbed collapsed along a sliding curve with a length of about 150m, affecting more than half of the roadbed. Currently, this road section is not accessible to cars; motorbikes and motorbikes can pass through but it is very dangerous.

The roadbed is broken in many places even though it has just been paved with asphalt. Photo: Thach Quynh

Mr. Nguyen Khanh Thanh - Chairman of Thanh Xuan Commune People's Committee said: Currently, the only road leading to the commune center has been seriously eroded, causing great impacts on the lives and traffic of thousands of people in the commune. If the bypass is not widened for vehicles, the road will be further damaged, easily causing traffic disruption and potential traffic accidents.

Warning signs are attached at both ends of landslide and broken road sections. Photo: Thach Quynh.

"Currently, the local budget is not enough to expand the roadbed, so the commune has submitted a document to the District People's Committee requesting support of 120 million VND to build a temporary road for people to travel safely during the Lunar New Year and wait for a solution from higher levels," Mr. Nguyen Khanh Thanh added.