The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Transport is set to launch a crackdown on motorbike parking lots that occupy the entire sidewalks in front of major hospitals, as the situation has left pedestrians with no other choice but to walk on the roadway.

The transport department stated that its inspectorate had examined the parking lot in front of the Ho Chi Minh City Hospital of Odonto-Stomatology on Tran Hung Dao Street in District 1 and concluded that the operation of the parking site goes against the regulations of the municipal People’s Committee.

The hospital was thus requested to return the sidewalk to its original condition, and to develop necessary works to ensure sufficient parking space on its premises.

The transport department also asked the administrations in all districts and Thu Duc City to make prudent considerations when granting temporary permits for the operation of parking lots on local sidewalks.

Such parking must ensure the remaining section of the sidewalk is at least 1.5 meters wide for pedestrians.

Those failing to comply with this regulation have to have their permits revoked.

Local administrations are required to stop granting new permits at locations where existing parking lots have already meet the demand, namely Ly Thuong Kiet and Ba Trieu Streets and around Hung Vuong Hospital in District 5.

According to the observation of Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper reporters in late May, the sidewalks in front of Cho Ray Hospital, Hung Vuong Hospital, University Medical Center, Ho Chi Minh City Eye Hospital, and 115 People's Hospital had been turned into parking lots for motorbikes.

Although these parking sites have helped ameliorate overcrowding at the infirmaries’ parking venues, they leave almost no space for pedestrians, forcing them to walk on the roadway, which poses a high risk of traffic accidents.

On many of the sidewalks, the situation is exacerbated when food and drink vendors set up tables and chairs for their customers.

Local residents believed that aside from handling these parking lots, authorities need to plan the establishment of proper parking space to meet the high demand at major hospitals.

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