Experts propose stricter measures to ease traffic jams

Transport experts proposed different measures to reduce traffic jams in Hanoi during a conference held last week by the municipal Department of Transport and the Hanoi Police.

Colonel Dao Thanh Hai, deputy director of the Hanoi Police, said that reasons for traffic jams in the city, including on main roads such as Nguyen Trai-Tran Phu in Ha Dong Town, Xuan Thuy-Cau Giay in Cau Giay district, Le Van Luong-To Huu in Nam Tu Liem district are due to fences of construction sites narrowing roads.

Hai said that the city has 11 construction sites with 27 areas surrounded by fences.

In some intersections including Khuat Duy Tien-Nguyen Xien and Cau Giay-Xuan Thuy, some parts of the roads are only four metres in width.

Tran Dang Hai, chief inspector of the Hanoi Department of Transport, said that since the middle of September, the department has checked all construction sites.

Many sites violated regulations on area, building period and environmental hygiene, and the inspectors gave administrative fines to violators.

For instance, the Nhon-Hanoi Railway and Cat Linh-Ha Dong railway projects were fined a total of 79 million VND (3,500 USD).

Chief inspector Hai said that the La Thanh Railway Station project in Hoang Cau-La Thanh Dike intersection in Dong Da district was fined several times, but still repeated its violation causing traffic jams. He temporarily stopped construction work on the project.

Director of the Hanoi Department of Transport Vu Van Vien agreed with the measures implemented by police and transport inspectors.

Vien asked transport inspectors to urge construction sites to speed up their work and clear their fences after the construction work is finished.

Traffic police should give strict punishments to three-wheel overloaded vehicles, he said, adding that buses and taxis should run in some regulated hours on some main roads to reduce the overcrowding on the roads.

Colonel Dao Vinh Thang, head of the Traffic Police Division under the city police, proposed to install more traffic lights and assign more youth volunteers to help traffic police during peak hours.-VNA