Ho Chi Minh City Book Street may re-establish sidewalk parking to serve readers

Ho Chi Minh City Book Street Company can re-establish the sidewalk parking lot according to the licensing procedures prescribed in the Law on Road Traffic Order and Safety and Decree 165.

Miss Nguyen Thanh Ha looks at the paintings on display at Ho Chi Minh City Book Street - Photo: Organizing Committee

On the morning of October 21, the Department of Culture and Sports of Ho Chi Minh City held a meeting to resolve the difficulties of Ho Chi Minh City Book Street.

Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Culture and Sports Nguyen Ngoc Hoi chaired the meeting. Attending were representatives of the Ho Chi Minh City Book Street Company, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Construction, the People's Committee of Saigon Ward...

Lack of parking space, visitors to book street decrease

Mr. Bui Xuan Duc - Deputy Director of Ho Chi Minh City Book Street Company, said that one of the current concerns is the difficulty in parking for visitors to the book street.

Under the direction of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, Ho Chi Minh City Book Street has been arranged with two parking lots at the entrance gate at Cong Xa Paris and Hai Ba Trung Street for nearly 10 years, from 2016 to 2025.

However, from August 1, 2025, the parking lot right at the gate of Ho Chi Minh City Book Street from Hai Ba Trung Street to Nguyen Du Street managed by the Youth Volunteer Force must stop operating.

New parking lot sign for people going to Ho Chi Minh City Book Street is located in the Ho Chi Minh City Telecommunications campus - Photo: HOAI PHUONG

Mr. Duc said that although there is a newly opened parking lot for people coming to the book street in the Ho Chi Minh City Telecommunications campus (No. 125 Hai Ba Trung, Saigon Ward), it is still not enough to meet the parking needs of readers and visitors.

Due to lack of parking space, the number of readers and visitors to the book street has decreased sharply, leading to cultural activities, events and book stalls having few attendees.

Mr. Tran Anh Vy - Head of Ho Chi Minh City Telecommunications Investment Department, said that VNPT always creates conditions for people coming to the book street to park their vehicles inside the Ho Chi Minh City Telecommunications campus, with a separate area. However, the parking area is limited, leading to an overload situation.

Permission and fee required to reopen parking lot

With the desire for the book street to operate normally again as before, Ho Chi Minh City Book Street Company proposed to re-establish two parking lots including:

On the side of the Paris Commune: on the sidewalk next to the wall of the Saigon Ward People's Committee, from the back wall of the General Publishing House booth to Le Duan Street.

Hai Ba Trung Street side: on the sidewalk of Hai Ba Trung Street, from the beginning of Nguyen Van Binh Street to Nguyen Du Street (the operation method of this parking lot is similar to the parking lot on the sidewalk of Nguyen Du Street in front of the current Ho Chi Minh City Telecommunications Building).

In addition, Ho Chi Minh City Book Street Company proposed to set up a new parking lot on the sidewalk of Hai Ba Trung Street, from Nguyen Van Binh Street to Le Duan Street (adjacent to the wall of T41 agency).

Many people say that the book street is deserted due to lack of parking - Photo: HOAI PHUONG

At the meeting, a representative of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Construction informed: “From 2025, Ho Chi Minh City Book Street can park vehicles on the sidewalk if necessary, but must follow the licensing procedures prescribed in the Law on Road Traffic Order and Safety and Decree 165.

We request that the HCM City Book Street Company follow the regulations and submit the application to the Department of Construction for licensing, but it needs the approval of the HCM City People's Committee to use the sidewalk as a parking lot for the book street. In phase 2, the Department issues the license, and the HCM City Book Street Company must pay the fee according to regulations."

In addition, the HCM City Book Street Company needs to coordinate with Saigon Ward to see if the parking lot affects the surrounding residents and businesses; ask for the opinion of the HCM City Police about the impact of vehicles entering and exiting the parking lot on traffic; and at the same time, comply with the regulations on using the sidewalk as a parking lot while still ensuring pedestrian access.

Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Hoi requested that Ho Chi Minh City Book Street Company proactively grasp the procedures and complete the documents as soon as possible to re-establish the parking lot to serve the needs of readers, especially the year-end activities and events of the book street.

Ho Chi Minh City Book Street is located on Nguyen Van Binh Street, Saigon Ward, Ho Chi Minh City, open from 8:00 to 21:30 daily.

Every day, the book street welcomes thousands of readers and tourists to participate in cultural programs, exhibitions, exchanges with authors and works, and enjoy community cultural activities.

HOAI PHUONG

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/duong-sach-tp-hcm-co-the-tai-lap-lai-bai-giu-xe-tren-via-he-phuc-vu-doc-gia-20251021131600213.htm