HÀ NỘI — Deputy Prime Minister Trương Hoà Bình asked the Ministry of Transport and Hà Nội People’s Committee to carefully study the requests of cafe owners along the train streets of Điện Biên Phủ, Trần Phú and Phùng Hưng, a hit among tourists to the city.

The households wanted to resume their businesses after city authorities, last month, decided to close cafes along the rail lines for safety reasons, but the households said they would carry out measures to ensure safety for customers and tourists.

The deputy PM asked the authorities to carefully consider the requests.

In the long term, authorities had to set measures to move people living and doing business along the rail line out of the safety corridors. 

According to the Transport Ministry, in September, violations of rail traffic safety occurred in Hà Nội’s Hoàn Kiếm, Ba Đình, Đống Đa and Hai Bà Trưng districts.

This was due to locals and foreign tourists taking photos on the train track.

The households opened cafes next to the tracks – in most cases, a mere metre away from the rail line – which exposes the customers and visitors to elevated risk of railway accidents.

City authorities closed the cafes and banned tourists from entering and walking along the streets.

However, people argued that these business helped develop tourism and increase incomes for local people. —VNS