Crack down on pavement parking

Cars are parked illegally on the pavement on Ha Noi's Ba Trieu Street. — VNA/VNS Photo Minh Quyet

HCM CITY — The Ministry of Transport started inspections on the usage and management of pavements in HCM City yesterday after a similar 20-day-long initiative in Ha Noi conducted to curb illegal activities in big cities.

A team will accordingly inspect parking lots plans, the granting of pavement use certificates and the collection of fees related to pavement use at the municipal departments of transport and construction, People's Committees of District 1 and 5, local authorities in Ben Nghe Ward and Ward 4, and the HCM City Voluntary Youth Public Benefit Service Company.

The Ministry's Deputy Chief Inspector Thach Nhu Sy said shortcomings in pavement usage as well as the management and violations of each unit would be reported to the ministry.

Inspectors would propose authorities to adjust or add policies to strengthen the effectiveness of management work on pavements if necessary, he added.

The project is planned to last until the end of this month.

Currently, about 160 streets in HCM City are allowed to partly use its pavements for parking lots and 112 for trading activities while 73 roadways may be used for parking purposes.

Last month, inspectors implemented checks on 12 among 14 units, including the municipal Transport Department, local authorities in Hoan Kiem in Ha Noi and Hai Ba Trung districts as well as at some companies exploiting pavements.

According to Sy, the loose management of authorities and a shortage of co-operation have resulted in violations.

Initial results have shown that buildings such as the Ha Noi Library in Ba Trieu Street and the Trang Tien Bookshop in Trang Tien Street had been designed with basement garages, but that these areas have been used for alternative purposes, causing employees to park on the pavements, which in turn has caused traffic chaos.

The Ha Noi Parking Services Company controls 187 parking lots over a total area of 106,000sq.m and a capacity of 15,260 cars.

These lost only meet 30 per cent of demand, however, with most people resorting to parking on pavements and along roadways. — VNS