Hanoi is determined to restore order to sidewalks and streets.

Hanoi is striving to build a civilized urban image, with the goal of restoring clear, clean sidewalks for pedestrians.

In reality, over the years, the city has repeatedly launched campaigns to restore order to roads and sidewalks, but after only a short time, the encroachment recurs.

Will the city be able to definitively address the "old habits" and the bottlenecks between the demands for urban order and the "livelihood" of its citizens this time?

Wishing for harmony

In the late afternoon at Mrs. Suu's beer garden on Phan Chu Trinh street, dozens of tables and chairs were spread across the sidewalk, which was about 3 meters wide. The lively atmosphere quickly subsided when officials from Cua Nam ward appeared and asked the owner to remove all items encroaching on the sidewalk.

Within minutes, the restaurant staff busily gathered up the tables and chairs, clearing the spacious sidewalk, which was now littered with spilled beer and scattered food.

When things calmed down, the owner of the quán (restaurant/bar) who had been there for over 20 years couldn't hide her worries: "We support the city's policy of building a civilized, clean, and beautiful urban environment. But honestly, prohibiting businesses on the sidewalks affects us and many other businesses a lot. Customers who come to the quán usually like the outdoor space, enjoying beer while watching the street. Now that we've moved everything inside, we'll have very few customers."

Authorities in Hoan Kiem ward ( Hanoi ) inspect businesses that are repeatedly encroaching on sidewalks.

It's not just this beer quán (bar/restaurant); many businesses on central streets in Hanoi report a decrease in customers as they no longer have space on the sidewalk.

Ms. Le Thu Hien, owner of a coffee shop on Nguyen Huu Huan Street (Hoan Kiem Ward), shared: “The shop is very cramped, only able to fit a few tables. Previously, when we set up outside, we had more customers. We hope the authorities will have a flexible solution to ensure urban order while not affecting the businesses of the people.”

Give the sidewalks back to pedestrians.

Hanoi is piloting a project to develop three central wards – Hoan Kiem, Cua Nam, and Ba Dinh – into model wards for urban order and civility. To achieve this goal, in recent days, the Steering Committee 197 of these three wards has launched a coordinated campaign to resolutely eliminate encroachment on roads and sidewalks.

Hundreds of illegally erected awnings and billboards have been dismantled, and sidewalks have been restored to their original condition. Alongside addressing violations, efforts to educate and encourage businesses to sign commitments to practice urban civility have also been intensified, making pedestrian access more convenient and streets cleaner and more attractive.

Reporters observed that on many streets in the three wards, such as Hang Ma, Hang Ngang, Hang Dao, Tran Phu, Ly Nam De, Luong Van Can, Ba Trieu, Hang Bai, etc., sidewalks in many places are now more spacious and orderly than before.

Pedestrians no longer have to walk in the road or navigate through the cluttered rows of goods and tables and chairs on the sidewalks.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh, residing on Hang Gai Street (Hoan Kiem Ward), shared: “In just a few days, the streets have completely changed. I can now comfortably walk on the sidewalk instead of constantly worrying about walking on the road like before. This improved traffic flow ensures traffic safety and gives many streets in Hanoi a new, neater appearance.”

However, the lack of traffic flow on many streets is only temporary, because when law enforcement is absent, many businesses take advantage of the situation to encroach on sidewalks for trading.

In light of this situation, a representative from the People's Committee of Cua Nam Ward stated that this campaign to restore urban order is not just a temporary measure, but a major, ongoing policy of the city.

To maintain and foster a sense of urban order and civility, along with campaigning and educating the public, the ward's authorities will conduct regular inspections, especially during peak hours. Any repeated encroachment after warnings and signed commitments will be dealt with severely.

In addition, local authorities have clearly defined the responsibilities for managing each street to officials and neighborhood groups to enhance supervision.

The pilot project to build model wards in terms of urban order and civilization in Hanoi will be implemented in three specific phases: Phase 1 focuses on basic investigation, propaganda, and order arrangement from November 15th to November 30th; Phase 2 involves conducting comprehensive inspections, handling, and clearing violations from November 30th to December 31st; and Phase 3 maintains inspection, prevention, and deterrence of repeat violations from January 1st, 2026 to February 15th, 2026.

The Hanoi People's Committee has just issued Plan 332 on resolving bottlenecks in urban order and building communes and wards that ensure order, discipline, and urban civilization in the city.

According to this plan, on the morning of December 13th, all wards and communes in Hanoi will simultaneously launch a campaign to encourage people to dismantle structures encroaching on roads and sidewalks.

However, to avoid a situation where the plan is abandoned halfway through, in this plan, Hanoi City has identified this as a long-term program until 2027 with the goal of building 100% of wards and communes to ensure urban order, discipline, and civility.

KHANH NGUYEN

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/ha-noi-quyet-lap-lai-trat-tu-via-he-long-duong-post828415.html