We are determined to restore order in the traffic safety corridor.

(Baonghean) - After 10 days of launching a campaign to clear violations of traffic safety corridors, initial observations show that some localities such as Vinh City, Hung Nguyen, Nam Dan, and Cua Lo Town have resolutely directed the implementation according to the Provincial People's Committee's instructions. Although re-encroachment still occurs, these localities are determined to resolutely handle violations and restore order in traffic safety corridors.

Removing violations of traffic safety corridors in Nam Dan district.

On the morning of January 19th, Kim Lien commune (Nam Dan district) mobilized forces including commune police leaders, village police officers, and militia to clear households encroaching on sidewalks and roadsides for business along National Highway 46. The most critical issue was households encroaching on the land of an abandoned office building for business purposes; the commune had repeatedly warned them without success. Following the launch ceremony on January 10th, Nam Dan district requested Kim Lien commune to take measures to educate, explain, and require these households to dismantle their illegally constructed temporary structures, kiosks, and shops. Faced with the decisive action of the local authorities, the households agreed to dismantle them. With the involvement of militia, commune police, and district police, the households selling ceramics gradually moved their belongings out of the encroached areas. Some households hired metal cutting machines to cut through the corrugated iron roofs fixed along the roadside, while others voluntarily removed their goods, confectionery, tables, and chairs from the temporary structures in the encroached areas. After the residents finished moving their belongings, the Kim Lien commune forces approached to dismantle the roofs and demolish the illegally constructed walls. By 11 am, the clearance was completed, and the long-encroached area was returned to its original state. While the authorities were carrying out the demolition of the violations, many other households voluntarily removed advertising signs placed on the traffic safety corridor and cut down trees obstructing visibility. Mr. Nguyen The Dung, Vice Chairman of the Kim Lien Commune People's Committee, said: “To ensure the effectiveness of the campaign, the commune has worked with the vendors, guiding those subject to clearance to apply for renting stalls in the market, and increasing the number of market sessions per week to provide opportunities for people to do business. Kim Lien's goal is to eliminate all street vendors in the Kim Lien Historical Site area, re-plan and reorganize the market so that people have a place to do business and gradually attract tourists to Uncle Ho's hometown market…”

Many other communes in Nam Dan district also organized forces to guide people in voluntarily dismantling signs and awnings that violated traffic safety corridors. According to observations, in Nam Linh and Hung Tien communes, people complied with the policy of clearing violations. Some households engaged in business voluntarily moved their goods further inside their houses and removed advertising signs erected on traffic safety corridors. Nam Dan district also organized a permanent force of the District Traffic Safety Committee to monitor and urge communes to clear violations of traffic safety corridors, especially along National Highway 46.

In Hung Nguyen district, on the afternoon of January 19th, the district's joint forces also cleared violations at the Hung Dao roundabout, a hotspot for traffic. This area has a very high density of people and vehicles, with chaotic street vending and advertising signs encroaching on the road, affecting visibility at the intersection of National Highway 46 and the Vinh City bypass. After more than an hour of both public awareness campaigns, explanations, and enforcement, the traffic safety corridor in the area was restored. Previously, Hung Nguyen district also decisively and quite successfully cleared encroachments in the town market area on 12/9 Street. Mr. Luu Duc Dien, a member of the District Traffic Safety Committee, said: "Up to this point, the district is actively working to eliminate traffic safety corridor violations at two hotspots, raising awareness and encouraging people not to violate or re-encroach on the corridor, confiscating 22 advertising signs and 3 awnings that violated the traffic safety corridor."

For the past 10 days, the permanent task force for clearing traffic safety corridor violations in Vinh City, consisting of 5 inter-agency working groups, has been regularly present on 31 main roads in 25 wards and communes of the city to clear violations of encroachment on traffic safety corridors. At two hotspots with complex violations, namely Quan Banh afternoon market in Nghi Phu commune and Dai Hoc market (Ben Thuy), the city has deployed an additional 2 working groups, each with 8 people, to be present during rush hour to maintain clean corridors and prevent re-encroachment. According to observations, although re-encroachment still occurs on many roads, overall, the situation of corridor violations on the 31 main streets of Vinh City has gradually decreased. Public awareness has shown positive changes. According to statistics, in the first week of the campaign, Vinh City issued violation reports for 48 cases of traffic safety corridor violations and dismantled 92 temporary shelters, support posts, and stalls. Authorities confiscated 259 illegal advertising signs, 284 sets of tables and chairs, 22 street vendor carts, 78 old tarpaulins, and 42 umbrellas used for selling goods on sidewalks and corridors; and removed 175 illegal banners and flags. Authorities confiscated 8 potted plants, 5 water tanks, and 13 sets of weighing scales used by street vendors… Mr. Phan Thanh Son, Team Leader of the Urban Order Management Team of Vinh City, said: “Clearing violations of traffic safety corridors cannot be done in a day or two because street vending has long become a habit for both sellers and buyers. In the long term, it is necessary to plan the trading areas appropriately because there is a very large number of people living by small-scale street vending. On the other hand, to restore urban order and return clean traffic corridors, the local authorities of the wards and communes in the city must make efforts and regularly maintain order, prevent re-encroachment to create awareness of compliance with the law among the people. In the coming time, the Urban Order Management Team will hand over the clean corridors to the wards and communes for management and maintenance. The head of any ward or commune where violations or re-encroachment occur will be held responsible…”

In Cua Lo Town, although it's not the tourist season and business kiosks aren't operating at full capacity, the removal of traffic safety corridor violations is not being taken lightly. Following the launch ceremony, the town's Urban Management Team, in collaboration with communes and wards, continuously used specialized vehicles and mobile loudspeakers to educate residents about not violating or encroaching on traffic safety corridors. Several illegally installed advertising signs were confiscated. On January 18th and 19th, the town cleared several households that had violated regulations on the main Vinh – Cua Hoi road, restoring the traffic safety corridor and requiring residents to sign commitments not to re-occupy it.

Following the directives of the Provincial People's Committee, after 10 days of launching the campaign, the inter-agency task force, comprising the Provincial Traffic Safety Committee, the Provincial Police, Nghe An Newspaper, and the Provincial Radio and Television Station, conducted inspections and monitoring in various localities. Observations indicate that, while some localities have been decisive in clearing violations of traffic safety corridors as mentioned above, many districts have not been as proactive. The Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee has also issued a document criticizing localities for not organizing the campaign launch ceremony as required, and reminded the districts of Quy Hop and Tuong Duong to launch their campaigns late. Mr. Vo Minh Duc, Chief of the Office of the Provincial Traffic Safety Committee, stated that in the coming time, the inter-agency team will continue to inspect, monitor, and urge localities to strictly implement the Provincial People's Committee's Directive No. 35, restoring clean traffic safety corridors on all roads. Any locality that is negligent or slow will have its head held accountable to the provincial leadership.

Nguyen Khoa