VietNamNet Bridge – When roads are heightened by 1-2 meters, the houses along the roads are turned into basements, right in the heart of HCM City. Along new roads such as Pham Van Dong in Thu Duc District, Pham Van Chi and Lo Gom in District 6 and some others, passers-by can see hundreds of such houses.
The door of Mrs. Nguyen Thi Hoai’s house, in Lo Gom, District 6, was previously 2.2m high, but since the road was rebuilt, it is now only about 0.8m high.
Many families have to abandon or sell their homes at cheap prices after the roads are changed. Mrs. Ly Thi Ba, 70, who suffered from a stroke nine years ago, said she has to crawl from the ground to the road in Lo Gom.
They go into their houses by crawling, by ladder, or by plastic chairs. Mrs. Nguyen Thi Hoai places a plastic chair at the door to climb into her house but the chair is still low compared with the road.
The house of Mr. Nguyen Vu Thai Hung is nearly 2m lower than Pham Van Dong road. The family members have to use a ladder to climb up to the road.
A house on Pham Van Chi Road, District 6.
After each rain, Mrs. Nguyen Thi Hoai has to scoop water out out the house. Water spills into the house because the road is 1m higher than the house floor.
Mrs. Pham Thi Ty and his grandchild in front of their house, in Lo Gom, which is up for sale.
An abandoned house on Pham Van Dong Road, Thu Duc District, Ho Chi Minh City.
Mrs. Nguyen Thi Ty, 78, in Lo Gom, rarely leaves the house because it is difficult for her to climb up to the entrance.
Zing/VNN