Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - A company has proposed building a history and culture complex near part of the To Lich River which runs through western side of  Hanoi city by 2026.

The Nhat Viet Company recently made a proposal to the Hanoi authorities to recover the river, which was once one of the capital city’s most beautiful rivers.

“This project is initiated by a Japanese partner,” said Nguyen Tuan Anh, Chairman of the Board of the Nhat Viet Company, at a press conference in Hanoi.

“We are determined to carry out the project in five years from 2021 to 2026. We propose to the committee for scientific research to complete the project.

“We want to listen to all opinions of experts, scientists and Hanoi residents both positive and negative to complete the project,” Anh said.

The To Lich River is 14km in total length and runs through six districts of Hanoi. Its starting point is in Nghia Do ward, of Cau Giay district and the ending point flows to Nhue River in Huu Hoa commune, Thanh Tri district.

This project is good and feasible, according to Professor Dang Huy Huynh, former head of the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology's Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources. 

"The river has thousands of years of history and it is polluted seriously because a large amount of wastewater is discharged into it," Huynh said. 

"I fully believe in this project. If the project is successful it will not only solve the environmental problem but also turn the river into a historic relic site.

"Of course, it is very difficult to do it because the To Lich River is so polluted. The climate and environment in Vietnam are quite different from Japan and the Republic of Korea. We will apply their technology to clean up the river and turn it into a tourism spot in Hanoi."

Under the project, after being cleaned up, rows of trees will be planted along the banks of the river. 

Along the river, local residents and tourists will walk and see milestones of national history spanning 4,000 years. 

The river played a very important role in the spiritual life of the people in Hanoi in the past, according to historian Duong Trung Quoc.

"It was once considered as a protector of ancient Thang Long-Hanoi," he said. "I think the idea to recover the river is quite good because it has been forgotten and heavily polluted for a long time."

The Nhat Viet Company will invite relevant agencies related to history, architecture and environment working together to carry out the project if it is approved by the city's authorities./.