Hanoi's 'Train Street Cafe' is bustling with customers again after 2 days of being cleared

Although the authorities had just launched a drastic campaign, requiring dozens of households to sign a commitment not to encroach on the railway safety corridor in the Kham Thien - Le Duan area on November 25, only two days later, the situation of placing tables and chairs close to the railway tracks to serve tourists was openly repeated as if there had never been a ban.

Resolute handling and "paper" commitments

Faced with the fact that tourists flock to the Kham Thien - Le Duan railway coffee street (Van Mieu ward, Hanoi) to visit and experience the year-end increasingly crowded, many households have expanded, installed canopies, awnings and arranged tables and chairs deep into the safety corridor, causing concerns about the risk of railway traffic accidents. However, due to the subjectivity of tourists and the disregard for danger for economic benefits of business people, this coffee street has existed for many years.

The arrangement of tables and chairs encroaching on the safety corridor raises concerns about the risk of railway traffic accidents.

Kham Thien - Le Duan railway lane 2 days after dozens of households signed a commitment not to encroach on the railway safety corridor.

On November 25, the Traffic Police Team No. 4, Traffic Police Department of Hanoi City Police in coordination with Van Mieu - Quoc Tu Giam Ward Police and Steering Committee 197 wards launched an inspection and restored order in this area to ensure railway traffic safety and urban beauty. The key area is the railway alley crossing Kham Thien Street and Le Duan Street, where businesses providing beverage and coffee services are concentrated.

The working group requested the removal of illegal items such as self-opened walkways, structures that obstruct the view and business items within the railway protection area. Notably, the authorities requested 30 business households here to sign a commitment to strictly comply with legal regulations and not repeat the encroachment.

Major Nguyen Mau Trung, an officer of Road Traffic Police Team No. 4, said the handling was aimed at ensuring absolute safety for trains and people, especially in crowded hotspots.

When the authorities are present, businesses comply seriously. However, when the authorities leave, the business secretly resumes.

Violations recur even when authorities are absent.

In contrast to the seriousness of the clearance session, the reporter's actual observations on November 27, just 2 days after the peak period, the railway alley showed a completely different picture.

In the Kham Thien - Le Duan railway alley area, businesses quickly arranged their tables and chairs as before, and business activities seemed to return to normal. Not only this area, but also nearby locations such as the railway alley crossing Dien Bien Phu and Tran Phu streets or the railway alley parallel to Phung Hung street were also bustling with tourists. Tables and chairs were still placed close to the edge of the railway, tourists calmly sat drinking coffee, taking check-in photos in the lurking danger, ignoring the safety warnings that had just been given.

There is no denying the appeal of these railway alleys, however, this cannot be a reason to ignore safety.

When asked about encroachment on the safety corridor, a coffee shop owner on the railway street intersecting Dien Bien Phu and Tran Phu streets nonchalantly replied that the efforts of the authorities were “ineffective”. The shop will continue to reopen and optimize seating by encroaching on the safety corridor, meeting the increasing number of visitors.

This situation shows that the handling of violations of urban order in the railway alley areas is still stuck in a vicious cycle of mobilization, clearance, and re-encroachment. Although the authorities have asked travel agencies not to organize tours to the railway coffee street area to avoid the risk of accidents and have encouraged people to sign a commitment, the profit from tourism and the curiosity of tourists still prevail over safety regulations.

There is no denying the attraction of these railway alleys, however, this cannot be a reason to disregard safety. Videos and images of trains crashing into tables and chairs or tourists panicking to avoid trains that have caused a stir in public opinion seem to be insufficient to become a deterrent lesson. Without regular monitoring measures and stronger sanctions, the efforts of the authorities to clear the way will be like "salt in the sea" and the risk of railway accidents will always be present every hour.

Source: https://baotintuc.vn/xa-hoi/ca-phe-duong-tau-ha-noi-lai-tap-nap-khach-sau-2-ngay-bi-giai-toa-20251128071727890.htm