Statistics by the HCMC Institute of Development Studies showed the 1,000 roads and 4 million square meters of sidewalk have been occupied by small businesses, vendors or as makeshift parking lots.
In addition, around 250 bridges, especially the cavalcades under bridges, have been turned into markets or homes for street vendors and the homeless.
The Department of Industry and Trade said there are 20 “spontaneous” markets in the Tan Binh and Go Vap districts, while downtown District 1 is home to 13 illegal markets.
The meeting heard that city residents keen to turn a buck aren’t the only offenders as local authorities have been too eager to hand out business licenses in areas not zoned for commercial use.
Compounding the problem has been a city People’s Committee decision to charge fees for the use of sidewalks and streets for parking and business purposes.
Under a decision effective November 13, the sidewalks on 272 streets in the city can be used for parking and business activities. Parking will also be allowed near the curbs of 73 other streets.
Nguyen Huu Nguyen, an expert in urban development, said the city should solve the issue of a lack of parking spots before it collects fees.
The HCMC government in 2004 approved a plan to construct eight underground car parks; to date, six have been cancelled.
Meanwhile, the city is grappling with burgeoning vehicle ownership rates, with 400,000 cars and more than 4 million motorcycles using the city’s streets everyday.
Source: vietnewsonline.vn
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