The Department of Public Works and Transport expects to budget nearly LAK 20 billion to address both temporary and long-term flooding on major roads throughout Vientiane Capital.
Director of the Vientiane Public Works and Transport Department, Mr. Soulivanh Phommahaxay, said during an interview that the department and the Vientiane City Office for Management and Services (VCOMS), as well as other offices, plan to solve temporary and long-term flooding.
With a budget of LAK 18 billion, the department will deal with issues leading to both short- and long-term flooding, while the Vientiane City Office for Management and Services (VCOMS) plans to budget LAK 1.5 billion toward fixing the same issues.
The current budget of nearly 20 billion is only an initial estimate. The actual cost of implementation may vary due to the difficulty of construction during rainy season.
Mr. Soulivanh Phommahaxay said that heavy rains cause flooding in Vientiane Capital due to the slow drainage of water in areas of Sikhottabong District. The fact that some entrepreneurs have built facilities that block the drainage has worsened the problem.
Vientiane municipal officials have admitted that budget constraints have delayed a solution to the flooding in Vientiane Capital.
Several districts in Vientiane Capital were inundated with flash flooding again after heavy rains swept through the city last weekend.
