Sidewalks in the city center are tidy thanks to the fee collection.
Returning to Le Thanh Ton Street, one of the 11 pilot routes for collecting fees for temporary use of road and sidewalk space since May 2024, on a weekend morning, we saw a bustling scene of cafes along the street.
On the positive side, pedestrians can easily move along the sidewalks, weaving between rows of motorbikes and tables and chairs of the shops. According to many shop owners along the street, participating in the sidewalk rental registration and knowing their rights and obligations has helped them become more aware of the need to balance business activities with ensuring traffic order and environmental hygiene.
Similarly, on other streets such as Hai Trieu, Tran Hung Dao, Ham Nghi, etc., shops and stalls are neatly arranged and comply with regulations when registering to rent sidewalk space.
Ms. Lan, 48 years old, owner of a beef noodle shop on Tran Hung Dao Street, said that she and others are still a little hesitant about the addition of another fee, although not much, as it adds a burden when business owners already pay a series of taxes and fees such as business tax, environmental tax, garbage fee, electricity fee, and employee salary. Furthermore, in practice, many people are still confused about registering through the app.
However, Ms. Lan and everyone else are aware of their responsibilities as business owners, and understand that collecting usage fees will help ensure urban order and eliminate the constant fear of law enforcement presence during business operations.
"I wholeheartedly support it. If it's done uniformly and simultaneously like that, everyone will support it because people will have a stable place to do business, without having to sell and then run away. When people pay and fulfill all their obligations, they will enjoy the benefit of having a place to sell their goods and feel secure," Ms. Lan said.
There are still many concerns.
According to Vice Chairman of District 1 People's Committee Vu Nguyen Quang Vinh, after more than 5 months of implementation, urban order, sidewalks, and aesthetics in the area have stabilized; ensuring smooth and safe pedestrian access... In particular, the pilot fee collection has received strong support and consensus from the people. Nearly 400 cases (mostly in Ben Thanh ward, accounting for nearly 50%) have registered to rent sidewalks with a total area of over 3,100m2 and collected fees of 800 million VND.
According to the district's assessment, there are still some instances where residents disagree with renting sidewalk space; exceeding the rented area; and placing tables and chairs that obstruct pedestrian access…
According to Vu Nguyen Quang Vinh, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of District 1, starting from October 25th, District 1 officially implemented the collection of temporary usage fees for a portion of sidewalks that meet the criteria for business and service points, for the remaining 41 streets out of the previously issued list of 52 streets.
"We sincerely hope that agencies, units, organizations, and individuals will continue to cooperate with District 1 to strictly implement Decision 32 of the City, contributing to making the sidewalks of District 1 more spacious, more attractive, and ensuring security and order; providing pedestrians with a safe space, limiting encroachment on roads and sidewalks leading to traffic accidents, and living up to the expectation of building District 1 into a civilized, modern, and worthy center of the city," said Mr. Vu Nguyen Quang Vinh.
According to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Transport, the implementation of fees has gradually impacted and adjusted perceptions, forming positive habits and behaviors of many organizations and individuals regarding the use of roads and sidewalks.
However, the Department also acknowledges that the regulations in Decision 32 and Resolution 15 are new tasks with a wide-ranging impact; they regulate the habits and behaviors of many organizations and individuals related to roadways and sidewalks. Therefore, many obstacles and difficulties have arisen during implementation…
According to Mr. Hoang Phuc Dung, Deputy Head of the Road Infrastructure Management and Exploitation Department of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Transport, a significant number of people still maintain the mentality and habit of considering sidewalks and roads in front of their houses as their own property; some management units are also slow in implementing fee collection and managing roads and sidewalks.
Furthermore, the road and sidewalks still have many shortcomings such as narrow width, the presence of many existing structures, inadequate maintenance and timely repairs, and limited funding for sidewalk maintenance...
"During the initial implementation phase, the units are coordinating, reviewing, and identifying obstacles and difficulties in managing and collecting fees for the temporary use of a portion of the road and sidewalk in order to propose solutions that are appropriate to the actual situation," said Mr. Hoang Phuc Dung.
Considerations are needed when scaling up.
Speaking with VOV, Dr. Tran Quang Thang, Director of the Institute of Economics and Management of Ho Chi Minh City, said that although the initial pilot results have many positive points, for a special urban area like Ho Chi Minh City, "careful consideration" should be given to expanding it. The collection of sidewalk fees should only be applied to roads that meet all infrastructure requirements, especially safety for pedestrians, and that are balanced between all parties involved.
According to Dr. Tran Quang Thang, before implementation, it is necessary to carefully consult with relevant departments, agencies, and localities, and especially to listen to the opinions of the Vietnam Fatherland Front and the local community where the toll road is planned to be built.
"We must consider and gather opinions from the local community. If the community thinks it's feasible, they will agree. We then compile the feedback and make a final decision. We implement it, but we must also take into account the local culture and characteristics; otherwise, it will cause a lot of trouble," said Dr. Tran Quang Thang.
The collection of fees for the temporary use of roads and sidewalks is implemented according to Resolution No. 15/2023/NQ-HĐND of the City People's Council and Decision No. 32/2023/QĐ-UBND of the City People's Committee.
To date, in addition to District 1, Districts 3, 10, 12, and the Department of Transportation have also implemented fee collection. The total fees collected so far amount to 4.8 billion VND; of which, the Department of Transportation collected approximately over 1.5 billion VND from fees for cultural activities and the provision of public transportation facilities such as bicycle stations.
VOV.VN - From October 25th, District 1 officially implemented the temporary use fee for a portion of sidewalks that meet the criteria for business and service points, for the remaining 41 streets out of the previously issued list of 52 streets.
Ho Chi Minh City leaders have repeatedly emphasized that collecting fees for the temporary use of sidewalks and roads does not create an additional burden for the people, but rather aims to help to make sidewalks and roads more orderly and efficient, ensuring easier and safer pedestrian access.
However, the fact that only four localities in the city have implemented this clearly shows a lack of uniformity, which could create negative public opinion when comparisons are made…Therefore, the city needs to direct this work to be implemented synchronously, harmonizing the interests of all parties.
Source: https://vov.vn/kinh-te/thu-phi-su-dung-via-he-khu-trung-tam-tphcm-van-con-ban-khoan-post1132750.vov
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