'Ban on sidewalk business, want to eat sticky rice have to go to supermarket?'

(Baonghean.vn) - Encroachment on roadsides and sidewalks for business and trade has been a long-standing phenomenon in Vinh City. Regarding the issue of whether or not to allow business and trade on sidewalks, Nghe An Newspaper reporters recorded many opinions from the people.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Thao Anh (46, Kim Dong Street)

“I studied and worked in Russia for 5 years and just returned to Vinh city about 1 year ago. The feeling when I returned and walked on the city sidewalk was surprise, fear, anger and a feeling of disrespect.

In Vinh city, it seems people do not have the right to walk.

In my opinion, the long-term solution for this is to educate people from a young age, so that the awareness of respecting public space is ingrained in the subconscious and becomes the foundation of civilization for each person when they grow up.

As for the immediate solution, there should be a clear plan for which areas are allowed to do sidewalk business and which areas are absolutely not allowed, and it can be distinguished by paint color (red, yellow, green) like in foreign countries.

Mr. Vu Hoang Nam - owner of Coffee Talk

“For young people, sidewalk business has many advantages: it doesn't cost much initial investment, the shop space creates a comfortable feeling for customers, easy to approach and interact with customers...

As a sidewalk business owner with the Coffee Talk model, I think the most important thing is that business owners must be aware of balancing profits and ensuring the urban landscape.

As at Coffee Talk, we do not do business on holidays or major events such as National Day, Party Congress... to maintain a civilized and neat "face" for the city; environmental sanitation awareness is a top priority; sales are gentle and polite, avoiding loud voices and arguments that affect public security and order...

If all sidewalk traders were like that, the prejudice against sidewalk trading and business would be less severe, and could even be seen as a form of sidewalk culture?

Ms. Pham Tu Oanh (19, Quang Trung Street)

“I think that sidewalk businesses also create a unique feature for our city, especially, bringing an interesting feeling to young people, domestic and foreign tourists when visiting the streets. I myself am also a person who likes lemon tea, chatting with friends at sidewalk cafes because it is cheap, convenient, and has an open space…

However, too much of anything is not good. Doing business on the sidewalk clearly needs strict management from the state, with specific regulations on operating hours, scope, and conditions... Special attention should be paid to food hygiene and safety, environmental hygiene, and security and order.

Mr. Pham Minh Tuan, car repairman on Ho Tung Mau street

"No one wants to break the law, but to make a living, we have to accept it. Sitting here, I help many people. Sometimes, at noon or late at night, I meet people with punctured tires and have to walk along the road. When they see me, they are as happy as if they found gold.

Knowing that repairing a car on the sidewalk like this is a violation of the pedestrian crossing, I always sit quietly, arrange my tools neatly, and clean my seat…”

Mrs. Tran Thi Hong, sells sticky rice on Le Loi street

“I have been selling here for nearly 10 years, from pens, books, clothes, food… all of my children and family look at this sticky rice stall. Sitting here is dusty, noisy, and has many complicated things, sometimes the urban order team of the ward reminds me, asks me to clean up, is there any joy?

If the city asks her to leave, she will go, but she will have to find another place to continue selling. Now, sidewalk selling is banned and she is forced to sell in proper shops and restaurants, but the monthly rent for a stall is 3-5 million VND, so how can she make a profit to cover her living expenses?

Besides, selling on the sidewalk is the most beneficial for customers. Without me sitting here, if you want to eat sticky rice, do you have to go to the supermarket?

Mr. Nguyen Trung Tuyen, Deputy Head of Urban Order Management TeamCity.Vinh

"The city's policy is to resolutely handle the situation of businesses, putting up tarps and umbrellas on the sidewalks to ensure traffic order and safety, and clear roads day and night, especially on the city's 31 main roads.

In order to implement this policy, in recent times, the Traffic Management Team has regularly and continuously coordinated with the public order police and wards and communes to control, eliminate and rectify the situation of businesses and traders encroaching on sidewalks and roads and has achieved many positive results, reducing violations to some extent.

However, re-encroachment still occurs frequently. Partly due to people's awareness, the situation of people lacking jobs has made use of the sidewalks to make a living quite a lot. Meanwhile, the force of the Team and the wards and communes is still thin, so chasing one place and running to another, like kidnapping and abandoning the plate.

Besides, according to the city's hierarchy, each ward or commune is responsible for the road. Encroachment on the sidewalk occurs because many wards or communes have not dealt with violations resolutely.

Phuong Chi - Thanh Chung

Technique: Duong Tuan