The Phan Rang - Thap Cham pedestrian street is temporarily closed.

The Phan Rang - Thap Cham pedestrian street (formerly Ninh Thuan province) has temporarily ceased operations after a one-year trial period.

The Phan Rang - Thap Cham pedestrian street has been closed since June 22nd - Photo: DUC CUONG

Speaking to Tuoi Tre Online , Mr. Le Hoai Nam, chairman of the People's Committee of Phan Rang ward ( Khanh Hoa province), said that the Phan Rang - Thap Cham pedestrian street has temporarily ceased operations since the end of June.

According to Mr. Nam, prior to July 1st, the People's Committee of Phan Rang - Thap Cham city had submitted a report on the results of the pedestrian street's operation.

Accordingly, the Phan Rang - Thap Cham pedestrian street was approved by the former Ninh Thuan Provincial People's Committee for a pilot program starting in April 2024. This street stretches across central roads such as Tran Quang Dieu, Hoang Dieu, and 16 Thang 4, with a total investment of over 13 billion VND.

However, after an initial period of success, the pedestrian street quickly became deserted. The OCOP (One Commune One Product) stalls, once expected to promote local specialties, dwindled due to low purchasing power, lack of promotional support, and high rental costs. From the initial 29 OCOP stalls, none remain participating today.

Mr. Nguyen Quang, a small business owner who used to run an OCOP (One Commune One Product) stall here, said that the pedestrian street only operates on Friday and Saturday evenings each week, so the number of customers is low. Meanwhile, businesses have to clean up and return the premises, and transportation and storage costs are very high, so businesses hardly make any profit.

Meanwhile, to maintain operations, the People's Committee of Phan Rang - Thap Cham City previously had to regularly organize performances, hire personnel to ensure security, environmental hygiene, lighting, and maintain the musical fountain system and public restrooms… but lacked a stable source of revenue, leading to budgetary difficulties.

Mr. Nguyen Van Hoa, Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Khanh Hoa province, said that the temporary suspension of the pedestrian street is to facilitate the reorganization of administrative units according to the two-tiered local government model. After the administrative units are operating stably, the locality will study how to reorganize this activity on a more appropriate and effective scale.

DUC CUONG

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/tam-dung-hoat-dong-pho-di-bo-phan-rang-thap-cham-20250710171137542.htm