The VND800 billion ($34 million) road expansion project on Luong Dinh Cua Street in Saigon's District 2 is nowhere near completion after 5 years of work. 

The surface of Luong Dinh Cua Street is strewn with construction materials and machinery.

The Urban Transport Management Area 2 started upgrading and expanding the street in April 2015. The project was expected to be completed in two years.

It aims to widen the 2.4km long street by 30m and have it accommodate six lanes.

The project is expected to meet increased traffic as the Thu Thiem New Urban Area takes shape in the eastern part of the city. The expanded road is expected to increase connectivity by linking up with the Ho Chi Minh City - Long Thanh - Dau Giay Expressway (Districts 2, 9 and Thu Duc).

Sections of the road's drainage sewer has poor barriers and become deep holes filled with water after a downpour.

After five years, only a small section of the road surface is reserved as a pathway, while the rest is cut off by barriers.

Many sewers along the street are filled with dirt and garbage. 

Quyet, a resident of the street, said: "Since the road was dug up, it becomes very dusty during sunny season, muddy during rainy season and a trap for local residents."

Large potholes at the intersection of Luong Dinh Cua and Tran Nao streets.

The road heading to Thu Thiem Bridge is flooded after every heavy downpour.

Locals say that it takes two to three days after the rain stops for flood waters to recede.

Water stagnates in front of a convenience store.

Shops on both sides of the road are upset about slow business as the expansion work remains unfinished and the road lies in a very bad condition.

Workers pave a part of the road’s sidewalk.

Doan Phu Duc, deputy director of the project management board, said they have only completed about 50 percent of the work. The 200m section near Hue Nghiem Pagoda is finished, he said.

"The main cause of the project's slow progress is that only 60 percent of the land has been cleared, making it difficult to bring machinery and equipment here. Work can only happen on the section of the site that has been cleared," 

At the intersection with Tran Nao Street, many houses have not been cleared because authorities have not been able to come to an agreement on compensation for residents who have to relocate.

However, Duc said that the project is expected to be completed next year.