Increasing numbers of Hanoi’s pavements, particularly in the city centre, have been encroached upon despite measures by municipal authorities to deal with the problem.

At a recent meeting with Ba Dinh District, Hanoi Party Secretary Hoang Trung Hai expressed his concern about Hanoi’s loose urban management, especially encroachment on pavements. He instructed the city to deal with the problem in this year.   

The city was once determined to remove lean-to roofs on pavements; however, the practice has remained commonplace. Local authorities must take strict actions to deal with this,” Hai noted.

Since March 2016, police in Hanoi’s Hoan Kiem District, where the Old Quarter area is located, started another campaign to deal with overcrowded and blocked pavements from March 7. However, the situation has not yet improved.

It is very common to see shops encroach on pavement, particularly in the Old Quarter area where the entire pavement is used to display clothes, footwear, wallets and cosmetics or to park vehicles. 

On many streets in Hanoi, promotional signs also make their way onto the road, and shoppers often stop their vehicles in the middle of the road to negotiate prices.

The pavement of Dinh Liet Street A water stall on Cau Go Street blocking pedestrians    Hang Bac Street’s pavement turned into a parking lot     On Hang Dau Street     A group of foreign tourists standing on the road to take photos because of the blocked pavement          Foreigners trying to find their own ways on overcrowded and blocked pavements in Hanoi            Vendors      Pavements also used to burn votive paper

Dtinews