Maintaining order on sidewalks is an important goal in Ho Chi Minh City, yet achieving it requires the implementation of stronger regulations and specialized measures to effectively combat illegal sidewalk encroachment. 

The issue is particularly pressing in urban areas where sidewalks are frequently overtaken by street vendors, parked vehicles, and other obstructions, making it difficult for pedestrians to navigate safely.

First-time offenders should face warnings and be required to sign commitments not to repeat their actions. 

However, depending on the severity of the violation, appropriate penalties should be imposed, including fines that could reach tens of millions of Vietnamese dong. 

For repeat offenders, fines should escalate, and authorities should impose criminal responsibility on those involved in organized sidewalk encroachment activities.

Responsibility should be clearly assigned to individuals, officials, and local authorities in areas where sidewalk encroachment persists. 

Local authorities that manage their sidewalks well should be recognized and rewarded.

In addition to enforcement teams, other measures should be adopted, including expanding the use of delayed fines and surveillance through cameras, and encouraging residents to report illegal sidewalk use.

Immediate actions to take

Firstly, house owners who lease or occupy sidewalks should be required to return the space to pedestrians and promise not to encroach on the sidewalks again. Repeated violations should face hefty fines.

Besides, street vendors need to be provided with designated sites to sell without obstructing traffic.

Moreover, local authorities should expedite the implementation of sidewalk use fees, and add more funds to the maintenance and repair of sidewalks. 

Those who wish to use sidewalks for business purposes should be charged to ensure fairness.

Under Vietnam’s Law on Road Traffic, pedestrians are required to walk on sidewalks, and violators shall face a fine of VND250,000 (US$9.7).

However, in reality, traders are occupying sidewalks in many cities, especially in Ho Chi Minh City, to sell goods, set up tables, chairs, and equipment, and open parking lots for motorbikes, forcing pedestrians onto the roadbeds.

Effective enforcement is critical to address the pressing issue. Laws and enforcement must work hand in hand.

A recent example of successful enforcement can be seen in Ho Chi Minh City, where the introduction of Government Decree 168, which took effect on January 1, has significantly reduced the number of motorcycles using sidewalks. 

As per the decree, riders who ride on the sidewalk shall be fined VND4-6 million (US$157-236), a tenfold increase from the previous regulations.

* This article was originally written in Vietnamese by Tran Van Tuong and rewritten by Tuoi Tre News.

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