Construction materials occupying sidewalks are rampant in Vinh City.

In Vinh City, the situation of occupying sidewalks and roads to store construction materials is still common on many roads. This situation not only affects the urban beauty, causes traffic insecurity but also poses a potential risk of clogging the urban drainage system.

Sidewalks turned into material collection points

In recent years, Vinh City has witnessed rapid urbanization. A series of civil construction projects have sprung up, from individual houses to high-rise buildings. However, along with this development is the reality that people and construction owners often use sidewalks and roadsides as places to store construction materials, despite the prohibitions that have been issued.

On streets such as Le Hong Phong, Truong Chinh, Nguyen Du, Vo Thi Sau, Ly Thuong Kiet, An Duong Vuong, Phong Dinh Cang, etc., it is not difficult to see sand, rocks, and bricks scattered all over the sidewalks, even spreading out onto the road. Some places also leave barrels, formwork, and construction materials uncovered, causing dust and posing a risk of slipping and accidents, especially for the elderly and children.

The entire sidewalk of Vo Thi Sau Street, Vinh City has become a gathering point for construction materials. Photo: QA

Not only affecting the urban beauty, the rampant accumulation of materials also obstructs traffic and affects technical infrastructure. Many sidewalks are peeled off due to vehicles carrying materials, many manholes are buried by soil and sand, causing blockage of drainage when heavy rain occurs. This is one of the reasons why many roads in Vinh are often flooded during heavy rain.

People living near the construction sites are also upset because their daily lives are heavily affected. Mr. Nguyen Van Binh in Truong Thi Ward said: “When walking on the street, you have to squeeze through piles of materials. It is slippery when it rains, and dusty when it is sunny. Building a house is important, but we have to be responsible to the community. Many construction sites take months to complete, occupying the entire sidewalk. Vehicles carrying materials go back and forth all day, making the noise and dust unbearable.”

Mr. NVT, the owner of a housing project on Vo Thi Sau Street, shared: “I know that leaving materials on the sidewalk is wrong, but the house is too small, the construction land takes up all the space, there is no more space to store. I try to keep it as neat as possible and when the first floor is finished, I will move it all inside the house.”

Construction materials overflow onto the road, construction machinery occupies the entire sidewalk in Vinh City. Photo: QA

In addition to households, many large-scale construction projects also occupy sidewalks to store materials and collect construction waste after demolition without timely treatment. The problem lies not only in people's awareness but also in the current laxity in management and supervision.

Tighten management

Faced with the situation of construction materials being illegally dumped, wards and communes in Vinh City have taken many steps to tighten management. Mr. Nguyen Van Linh - Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Cua Nam Ward said: In each set of documents applying for a construction permit, the government requires households to commit not to illegally collect construction materials, ensuring environmental sanitation, labor safety and urban aesthetics. "The commitment must have the signatures of the construction household, the government and neighboring neighbors. However, the actual implementation is still difficult because there is no alternative collection plan, especially in densely populated inner-city areas," said Mr. Linh.

With limited land, finding a place to gather materials is a difficult task. Photo: QA

According to Mr. Dang Hieu Lam - Chairman of Quang Trung Ward People's Committee, the gathering of materials on sidewalks and roadsides is a clearly defined violation. However, due to the characteristics of urban areas with limited land, many households often use the entire land area for construction, so there is no space left to store materials. Therefore, the ward has regularly organized inspections, propaganda and reminders, requiring signing of commitments. If there is intentional violation or repeated encroachment, it will be strictly handled according to regulations.

In the context of limited land and difficult construction, gathering materials on the sidewalk is inevitable. Therefore, in reality, some localities still create "flexible" conditions for people to be allowed to temporarily gather for a short period of time and only borrow a part of the sidewalk, forcing them to give up most of the remaining area to pedestrians. Absolutely do not obstruct traffic or cause accidents. High-rise buildings must move materials inside after completing the first floor. At the same time, it is required to have a careful cover plan, hire a professional unloading unit to limit dust and not let materials fall into manholes and sewers.

Dumping of materials on sidewalks and roads is common. Photo: QA

However, it is also necessary to recognize that, to thoroughly solve this problem, a long-term solution is needed. Vinh City and the wards that will be merged in the future should consider planning temporary construction material transit areas, especially in densely populated areas. At the same time, encourage the construction of a common material storage system in residential areas to serve small-scale projects, minimizing the occupation of urban space. On the other hand, besides the participation of the government, it is important to raise the awareness of the people and project owners.

Collecting construction waste after completing the project. Photo: QA

According to Decree No. 100/2019/ND-CP of the Government regulating administrative sanctions for violations in the field of road and railway traffic, the act of illegally gathering construction materials on sidewalks and roadsides is considered an act of encroachment or illegal use of roads and sidewalks.

Specifically, Article 12, Clause 2, Point b stipulates: Fines from 2 to 3 million VND for individuals (and from 4 to 6 million VND for organizations) if they arbitrarily place or leave construction materials and construction waste on urban roads and sidewalks in violation of regulations. In addition, violators are also forced to clean up all materials, restore the original state and if they cause damage to traffic infrastructure, they must be responsible for compensating for all damages according to the law.

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Source: https://baonghean.vn/nhan-nhan-tinh-trang-vat-lieu-xay-dung-chiem-dung-via-he-o-tp-vinh-10299867.html