The Ben Nghe sluice, located on the Ben Nghe Canal near Mong Bridge between the city’s former District 1 and District 4, is one of six giant gates in a VND10 trillion (US$400 million) project aimed at preventing high tides from pushing water into the city’s canal network, a key cause of chronic flooding in central Ho Chi Minh City.

The project, formally known as the tidal flood-control scheme that accounts for climate change, was launched in 2016 under a build-transfer (BT) model but was suspended for years due to legal and payment disputes.

The Ben Nghe sluice features a gate system weighing more than 434 tons and is designed to operate flexibly based on water levels. When tides rise, the gates close to block seawater intrusion. When outside water levels drop, the gates open to discharge water while maintaining river traffic. During the rainy season, the structure can also help temporarily store water to ease drainage when conditions allow.

Nguyen Tam Tien, CEO of investor Trungnam Group, said activating the Ben Nghe sluice is a critical milestone in restoring the entire flood-control project. He said it creates the foundation to complete remaining components, improve stormwater drainage, reduce tidal flooding and enhance the city’s urban environment.

According to the investor, around 94% of the project’s total workload has been completed. The remaining tasks mainly involve system testing, calibration, integration, trial operations and final acceptance.

However, Trungnam Group has urged the city to resolve outstanding legal issues and complete land payments under the BT contract so the project can be finished this year.

Ho Chi Minh City vice chairman Bui Xuan Cuong said the project had stalled for years due to procedural and payment obstacles.

In July 2025, the government issued a resolution to remove key bottlenecks, allowing the city and the investor to resume work. The total investment has since been adjusted and is awaiting final conclusions from the State Audit Office.

City leaders said operating the Ben Nghe sluice is only the first step. In the coming months, Ho Chi Minh City plans to accelerate land handover, mobilize funding and coordinate across departments to bring the entire flood-control system into synchronized operation.

Once completed, the project will include six major tidal sluice gates and a roughly 6-kilometer river dike along the Saigon River, with the goal of controlling flooding across about 570 sq.km of the city’s most densely populated areas.