HCM CITY — HCM City authorities have announced plans to revamp 159 streets to create space for street food vendors there following a successful three-month trial of street vendor “markets” on Nguyễn Văn Chiêm Street and Bách Tùng Diệp Park in District 1.

The chairman of the District 1 People’s Committee, Trần Thế Thuận, has carried out a tour of his district to set up more food streets.

Besides, seven out of the district’s 10 wards have submitted plans for creating food streets and are awaiting approval for launch this month, while the other three are now scouting for locations, he said.

Dương Hồng Thắng, vice chairman of the Bình Thạnh District People’s Committee, said a section of Điện Biên Phủ Street in front of the HCM City University of Technology (Hutech) has been chosen for trialling a food street.

It would have some 20 stalls, mainly run by poor street vendors living in the district, he said.

After a three-month trial, district authorities would create more food streets elsewhere in the district, he said.

District 3 vice chairman Trần Thanh Bình said his district has petitioned the city authorities to turn its downtown area, including Hồ Con Rùa (Turtle Lake in Ward 6) and sections of roads leading to the lake such as Trần Cao Vân, Võ Văn Tần and Phạm Ngọc Thạch into walking streets.

A number of food streets would also be located here, enabling local residents to earn a living.

Better planning required

Vice Chairman of the Gò Vấp District People’s Committee Nguyễn Hữu Nghĩa said the Urban Transport Management Division No 3 has drafted a plan to build a street vendors’ market at Gia Định Park (in Bình Thạnh District).

However, the district authorities are unsure if the park is big enough since the district has a large number of street vendors, who could then spill into the streets around it, he said.

According to Phạm Ngọc Dũng, deputy head of the division, relevant agencies are waiting to evaluate the trial on Nguyễn Văn Chiêm Street.

The model would be used in Gò Vấp to stop vendors from using sidewalks and to return the sidewalks to pedestrians and ensure traffic safety, he said.

Nguyễn Văn Dũng, deputy head of the Urban Transport Management Division No 1, said the city should create spaces on many streets where poor street vendors could sell their stuff at certain hours.

He suggested Phạm Ngũ Lão and Nguyễn Trãi streets as possible roads for the purpose.

Vũ Việt Hà, deputy chief inspector at the Department of Transport, said the proposal by District 1 to earmark places for street vendors is “rational” and offers a long-term solution to the problem of encroachment of pavements. — VNS