HCM CITY – The HCM City’s District 1 People’s Committee has announced that the district’s first two street vendor spaces will open on August 28.

According to a plan which was approved by the city’s administration in March, the two “food streets” will be located on the sidewalks of Nguyễn Văn Chiêm Street and Bách Tùng Diệp Park.

The areas have spacious pavements with room for vendors’ businesses and vehicle parking.

Đoàn Ngọc Hải, vice chairman of the district’s People’s Committee, said on Wednesday there were many different opinions on how the plan should be implemented, which led to the delay of the launching of the two food streets.

“Our district wants to open the food streets as soon as possible so that poor families will have an official place to conduct their businesses on the sidewalk,”  he said.

“This will not only help them secure their income but also help us better monitor food safety and hygiene practices,” he added.

In the pilot period of the programme, which will be about six months, District 1 will set up 20 booths on Nguyễn Văn Chiêm Street and 15 booths along Bách Tùng Diệp Park.

There will be 35 households allowed to sell products, mainly prepped food, in the designated areas. They will not have to pay taxes or rent during the pilot programme.

All of the businesses will be allowed to operate from 6-9am and from 11am to 1pm every day.

District authorities will organise classes to train street vendors on food safety and hygiene and garbage sorting at the source.

Stools, tables and umbrellas for street restaurants will also be provided to avoid obstructing pedestrians and make best use of the pavements as the street vendors can share them with one another.

District 1 is also looking at other streets with pavement width of at least three metres to launch more space for poor people to make a living.—VNS