It seems folks in the capital city of Hanoi are all flocking to wellknown hotspots to choose the best flower pots to adorn their homes forTet (Lunar New Year).
Amidst the gaiety that this activity bringsout into the city's streets, there are some residents, includingcommuters, who are not sharing the festive cheer.
The reason is not difficult to discern – worsening traffic congestion.
Hoang Hoa Tham street has for long been known as the place-to-go inHanoi to purchase plants and flowers. The already crowded street now isnow overflowing.
At this flower market, which runs from the forkof Lac Long Quan and Buoi streets to the Hoang Hoa Tham JuniorSecondary School on the eponymous street, the flower pots and plantshave not just encroached the pavement, but spilled on the street aswell, colourfully and fragrantly blocking traffic.
Elsewhere, onAu Co street, the Quan Thanh intersection and several other places,dozens of street vendors have set up shop, drawing both admiring glancesand frustrated looks with the flora they put on display.
In many places, pavements and roadsides are no longer the preserve of pedestrians, they have become ad-hoc markets.
At the mini flower markets on Thuy Khue street, which are taking uplarge spaces in front of temple gates, customers stop right on the roadto bargain and make purchases, and the congestion this causes duringrush hours is particularly bad.
Authorities say they are aware of the problem, but have limited intervention options.
Lieutenant Phung Duc Hieu of the Traffic Police Department saidcongestion at the Hoang Hoa Tham – Buoi fork has become a Tet practice,because the traffic flow is always very high during this period of theyear.
Although traffic police officers are deployed in the areathe whole day, it is almost impossible to avoid the jams caused, hesaid.
Fines for pavement and road encroachment have not provedeffective because these violations continued to happen during the Tetseason.
Bui Tuan Duong, Vice Chairman of Thuy Khue ward'sPeople's Committee, said they have asked Tay Ho district's People'sCommittee to relocate the business area, but no decision has been takenyet.-VNA
Amidst the gaiety that this activity bringsout into the city's streets, there are some residents, includingcommuters, who are not sharing the festive cheer.
The reason is not difficult to discern – worsening traffic congestion.
Hoang Hoa Tham street has for long been known as the place-to-go inHanoi to purchase plants and flowers. The already crowded street now isnow overflowing.
At this flower market, which runs from the forkof Lac Long Quan and Buoi streets to the Hoang Hoa Tham JuniorSecondary School on the eponymous street, the flower pots and plantshave not just encroached the pavement, but spilled on the street aswell, colourfully and fragrantly blocking traffic.
Elsewhere, onAu Co street, the Quan Thanh intersection and several other places,dozens of street vendors have set up shop, drawing both admiring glancesand frustrated looks with the flora they put on display.
In many places, pavements and roadsides are no longer the preserve of pedestrians, they have become ad-hoc markets.
At the mini flower markets on Thuy Khue street, which are taking uplarge spaces in front of temple gates, customers stop right on the roadto bargain and make purchases, and the congestion this causes duringrush hours is particularly bad.
Authorities say they are aware of the problem, but have limited intervention options.
Lieutenant Phung Duc Hieu of the Traffic Police Department saidcongestion at the Hoang Hoa Tham – Buoi fork has become a Tet practice,because the traffic flow is always very high during this period of theyear.
Although traffic police officers are deployed in the areathe whole day, it is almost impossible to avoid the jams caused, hesaid.
Fines for pavement and road encroachment have not provedeffective because these violations continued to happen during the Tetseason.
Bui Tuan Duong, Vice Chairman of Thuy Khue ward'sPeople's Committee, said they have asked Tay Ho district's People'sCommittee to relocate the business area, but no decision has been takenyet.-VNA
