Some localities in HCM City have begun to collect road maintenance fees from motorbike owners before the designated start date of July 1.

Based on the local situation, some places have collected the fee [early] but it was not a big issue, Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper quoted Dao Thi Huong Lan, director of the city Department of Finance, as saying.

Nguyen Thi Quyet Tam, chairwoman of the city People's Council, said that on June 22 the Council had asked the People's Committee to report about the fee collection and its disadvantages and suggested that the People's Committee should delay collection until it provided all the information.

"If the collection proves difficult, we will ask the Government to stop.

"However, the People's Council can only request, and collecting or not collecting is the Government's prerogative."

Nguyen Thanh Chung, director of the Department of Transport and chairman of the HCM City Road Maintenance Fund, said he has not been instructed by the People's Committee to stop collection, and it would begin on July 1 as scheduled.

Tang Nhon Phu A Ward in District 9 is among the localities where people have been paying the fee since the middle of June.

Khuu Han Quang of District 11 said most people in his locality have refused to pay.

Long, a garment worker living in Hiep Binh Phuoc Ward, Thu Duc District, is unhappy about paying the fee.

"My road is very bad, full of dust on sunny days and flooded in the rainy season. In addition, traffic congestion has become a nightmare. We wonder if the situation will improve if we pay the fee."

Nguyen Hoang Long, deputy chairman of the Tam Binh Ward People's Committee, Thu Duc District and Truong Huynh Quoc Duy, deputy chairman of the Ward 10 People's Committee in District 6, said city residents are forced to pay a lot of fees. 

VNS