VietNamNet Bridge – Part of streets around the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum in the capital city will be turned into pedestrian streets if a proposal is approved.

Drafted by the Transportation Department and the Management Board of the mausoleum, the proposal aims to turn Chua Mot Cot, Ong Ich Khiem and the south side of Hung Vuong streets surrounding Ba Dinh Square and the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum into walking streets.

While the proposal aims to ban all vehicles from these streets, exceptions would be given to special cases for vehicles of organisations, offices and individuals who work and live within the area, and these vehicles have to move at a speed of no more than 15km per hour. All vehicles have to get permission from the Management Board of the mausoleum to have access to the pedestrian streets.

City authorities originally planned to designate 10 walking streets in the downtown area near the Old Quarter starting from November 1, but so far that plan has not been implemented.

Nguyen Van Cuong, head of the Management Board of the mausoleum, said the plan would not significantly affect businesses or offices in the area and would be more feasible than setting up walking streets in the Old Quarter, since the mausoleum is in an area with fewer commercial businesses.

Parking lots for cars would be set up at the grounds of the Ho Chi Minh Museum and the mausoleum management committee has also asked the city to allow additional parking in the parking area at the Imperial Thang Long Citadel site. Additional parking lots would also be set up in the area.

A designated spot for taxis to drop off passengers would also be set up on Ngoc Han Street to make visits to the area more convenient, especially for tourists.

Public toilets would be added in appropriate areas on Ba Huyen Thanh Quan Street. In the long term, the city would build underground public toilets in accordance with the plan to upgrade Ba Dinh Square.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News