VietNamNet Bridge - Hoan Kiem District has proposed to the Hanoi authorities to pave 11 walking streets in the Old Quarter with flagstones instead of cement.

The streets include Hang Ngang, Hang Dao , Hang Duong, Dong Xuan, Hang Giay, Hang Buom, Luong Ngoc Quyen, Hang Giay, Da Duy Tu, Ta Hien and Ma May. These streets are open for pedestrians only every Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening. They are a favorite destination of foreign tourists.

Hoan Kiem District’s proposal aims to improve the streets, making them easier to navigate so they can serve tourists and locals better. If it is approved, the district will implement and finish the task by next year.

In 2011, a stretch of Ta Hien Street is paved with flagstones. There is no gutter, just drainage holes. However, local people are not happy about this. They said that flagstones were fine on sunny or dry days, but slippery when rainy. They also complained that the area often flooded during heavy rain because there was not enough street drainage.

The proposal was not supported by experts.

A Vietnam Urban Planning and Development Association spokesperson said regulations only allow preservation and repair work done in the Old Quarter, which apparently means that paving the streets with stones is not appropriate.

Vu Duc Chinh, deputy head of the Institute of Transport Science and Technology, said the streets had to serve vehicles most of the time and were only open to pedestrians at the weekend, so the asphalt was much safer for traffic.

Ta Hien – the first Hanoi street paved with flagstones:

Mai Anh