Serious traffic jams happened on many streets in Ho Chi Minh City on Friday, the first of the three separate days of prohibiting vehicles from entering a designated area in the heart of the city in preparation for ceremonies to celebrate Reunification Day (April 30).
>> Ho Chi Minh City expands vehicle-free zone for national reunification anniversary preparations Under the ban of the city transport authorities, all vehicles were blocked from entering the banned zone on April 24 from 7:00 pm to 12:00 am. This ban will be continued on April 26 and 30 from 4:00 am to 12:00 pm each. At 6:30 pm yesterday, thirty minutes before the ban was valid, traffic police and other relevant forces set up their checkpoints outside the banned area, surrounded by the streets of Cach Mang Thang Tam, Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Nguyen Binh Khiem, Nguyen Huu Canh, Ton Duc Thang, Ham Nghi, Le Lai, Pham Hong Thai and Cach Mang Thang Tam. Soon after that, congestion occurred on many routes outside the prohibited zone, including Vo Van Tan, Tu Xuong, and Nguyen Trai Streets. Traffic jams were also seen on Nguyen Dinh Chieu and Dien Bien Phu streets that run parallel with the banned streets. Meanwhile, the most serious congestion happened at the intersection of Nguyen Thi Minh Khai and Cach Mang Thang Tam Streets, two of the major routes in District 1. At 9 pm the traffic situation outside the banned area was improved, but the traffic still moved slowly on many areas, including a number of intersections on Vo Van Tan Street. Nguyen Thanh Chung, director of the Ho Chi Minh City Transport Department, said his agency arranged forces on many streets to take part in controlling traffic on Friday evening. However, as the ban covers a rather large area, such traffic jams were inevitable, Trung said, calling for sympathy from the public. The department will facilitate the travel of people who live and work in the banned areas during the coming days, Trung said, adding that such people should bring necessary papers with them for examination by staffs of concerned agencies.
Meanwhile, the city Road and Railway Traffic Police Department said it will set up 31 checkpoints around the banned area to better regulate traffic flows and handle congestion. The department also said cars will be restricted from entering Cach Mang Thang Tam, Ba Huyen Thanh Quan, Tran Quoc Thao, Le Quy Don, Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, and Pham Ngoc Thach Streets during the valid time of the ban on April 26 and 30, the department said.
Below are some photos taken by Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper about the congestion on Friday evening:
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