HCM City (VNA) - Chairman of the HCM City People’s Committee NguyenThanh Phong has urged district authorities to seek long-term measures to freeup pavements in an aim to beautify the city and maintain security and order.

Speakingat a meeting held in the city on March 1, Chairman Phong said the city wascommitted to clearing up most pavements across 24 districts to create acivilised and modern city with high living standards.

Hesaid, however, that long-term tasks required concerted efforts from the entirePolitburo and agencies.

Alldistricts must be committed to resolving the pavement encroachment issue by theend of the year, he added.

Districtshave also been urged to modify the laws about pavement encroachment that are nolonger appropriate.

Inaddition, Phong urged district authorities to resolve the problem of illegalbuses operating in the city.

Thekey is to improve people’s awareness of pavement encroachment and trafficsafety, he said.

Recently,many citizens have shown their support for freeing up pavements.

Phongsaid that districts should inform people or households and ask them to takeaway all illegal works on the pavement.

Thedistricts should give them adequate time instead of requiring that they finishit immediately.

Inaddition, construction works in the city must not encroach on the pavement, hesaid.

Phongalso applauded the moves in freeing up pavements taken recently by officials ofDistrict 1, 2, 4, 7, Tan Phu, Binh Tan and Cu Chi.

Phongsaid that District 1 had done a good job to address pavement encroachment andthat the public expected positive changes to be made in other districts.

Phongalso said that other districts must learn from District 1 to implement drasticactions, and ultimately give pavements back to pedestrians.

Manyother districts across the city are now running a campaign to clear illegalparking, construction work, and businesses on pavements.

Mostpavements in large cities in Vietnam such as Hanoi and HCM City haveobstructions, causing challenges for pedestrians, including locals andtourists.

Pavementsare often used for parking spaces, small businesses or as extensions ofstreet-side residents’ houses.

Sidewalkencroachment has also affected traffic safety and order.

Alongstreets packed with congested traffic, drivers often ride their motorbikes onpavements to escape congestion on roads.

Pavementsare for pedestrians, but in many cases, pedestrians are afraid of using them.They have no choice but to walk on a road full of moving vehicles.

Manypavements in HCM City are being used by households to do business.

Anofficial from District 1 said that pavement encroachment had worsened due tolax control by authorities.

PhamQuoc Huy, Chairman of the District 5’s People’s Committee, said that improvingpublic awareness and changing attitudes and behaviour were critically importantfor the common benefit of the community.

Hesaid many Vietnamese drivers still have poor awareness of road rules and tendto beak traffic laws at any time.

District5 has established a team, including local police and staff from the urbanmanagement unit, to crack down on sidewalk encroachment, especially in front ofCho Ray Hospital in the district.

The public has shown support for recent effortsmade by District 1 officials in HCM City who patrol the streets and hand outpenalties for illegal encroachment by street vendors, vehicles and constructionwork on city pavements.-VNA