The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Transport has requested feedback from the municipal Department of Culture and Sports regarding the collection of fees for the temporary use of road and sidewalk sections during the organization of races, as well as other sports events, parades, and festival activities.

The transport department has proposed pricing for the momentary use of road and sidewalk areas during races, using the popular VnExpress Marathon Ho Chi Minh City as a prime example, as outlined below:

The counted areas include the roadbed zones needed for setting up medical stations, water supply points, and the extent of road closures at the starting and finishing lines. 

This calculation only takes into account the actual areas required by the organizers and disregards the extra zoned-off road surface.

The area utilized by athletes participating in the various race distances of 5km, 10km, 21km, and 42km is not factored into the calculation.

The proposed fee structure entails a charge of VND100,000 (US$4) per square meter per month for usage periods of fewer than 15 days.

In the VnExpress Marathon Ho Chi Minh City case, the arrangement of 16 medical and water stations, totaling 144 square meters in area, would incur an estimated fee of around VND7.2 million ($283).

The aggregate usable area occupied by the race, including the starting and finishing zones, medical facilities, and restrooms, adds up to approximately 3,164 square meters.

Consequently, the total area occupied by the race exceeds 4,764 square meters, resulting in an estimated payment fee of about VND238.225 million ($9,359).

The total fee to be paid by the tournament organizer under this proposal amounts to VND245.425 million ($9,642), which includes both the aforementioned fee and the separate VND7.2 million charge for medical and water stations.

The transport department has urged the Department of Culture and Sports to coordinate and consolidate this proposal for the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee’s consideration, ensuring regulatory compliance.

It recommends the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee instruct units to proactively review, balance, and incorporate fees for temporary roadbed and sidewalk usage into budget estimates for organizing cultural activities, sports events, parades, and festivals.

The Department of Culture and Sports has been asked to appropriately categorize those activities to advise the municipal People’s Committee on issuing specific plans, exempting fees according to regulations for activities solely focused on political promotion purposes.

Previously, the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee issued Decision 32 to govern the temporary management and use of roadbed and sidewalk areas, stipulating permissible activities in alignment with urban norms.

Meanwhile, the municipal People’s Council issued Resolution 15, delineating fees for the temporary use of roadbeds and sidewalks in accordance with the provisions of the Law on Fees and Charges.

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