Is the awning encroaching on the sidewalk?

(Baonghean)Directive 05 of the Standing Committee of the Vinh City Party Committee is a sound policy aimed at building an increasingly civilized city. The City People's Committee, departments, and the People's Committees of wards and communes have launched a vigorous campaign, implemented it decisively, and achieved some initial results. Unfortunately, the "campaign" did not last long. And the solution to maintaining the "orderliness" of sidewalks seems to be at a standstill.

Many city residents believe the city's approach was hasty, dismantling all residents' awnings at once, only to then allow them to replace them with movable awnings.

The result is continued encroachment on sidewalks, while also benefiting shops and companies that manufacture awnings. The price of mobile awnings has skyrocketed. Although called mobile awnings, in reality, these awnings remain stationary; the only difference from traditional awnings is that they are thinner and more makeshift.

Some ward chairmen encourage residents to install movable awnings, while others forbid them. As a result, the awning remains a constant source of frustration for residents living along the street, exposed to wind, dust, rain, and sun. This shows that what might seem like a small issue becomes a huge problem for those with ambitions to encroach on public space, as well as for those struggling to make ends meet who have just managed to install a corrugated iron roof only to have to cut it down again.

"The campaign" to remove the canopy, if not properly planned, can easily end up being a case of 'a big start but a small finish'!"