The Hanoi Department of Culture and Sports has proposed to the municipal People’s Committee to pedestrianize Pham Huy Thong Street and eight surrounding alleys around Ngoc Khanh Lake on weekends on a trial basis.

The green spacious space around Ngoc Khanh Lake in Ba Dinh District, Hanoi. Photo: Nguyen Them

If the proposal is approved, the area will be the fifth pedestrian zone in Hanoi.

The project titled “Business service quarter and walking street around Ngoc Khanh Lake” will span around 12 ha, including 36,000 sq.m around the lake and 3,800 sq.m of a garden on Nguyen Chi Thanh Street in  Ngoc Khanh Ward, Ba Dinh District.

Ba Dinh District People’s Committee said that they will spend VND9 billion (US$383,210) on renovating gardens and planting trees to create a highlight of the walking space.

In the beginning, the pedestrian street is expected to open from 9am to 10pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Later, the possibility of keeping the pedestrian street open for the entire week will be considered.

The renovation of neighboring areas to realize the project will be carried out from the fourth quarter of 2022, according to the proposal of Ba Dinh District.

Earlier, Hanoi’s fourth pedestrian zone around the Son Tay Citadel will open by the end of this month, on the occasion of the National Reunification Day (April 30) and May Day (May 1).

Hanoi’s first walking street around Hanoi Kiem Lake was launched in 2004. It was initially aimed at encouraging people to walk instead of gluing themselves to the motorbike seat, as well as creating spaces for community activities, fostering trade, services, tourism and cultural exchange. It was expanded to cover eight nearby streets and three alleys as of January 1, 2021.

Meanwhile, Hanoi’s second walking area was set up in Trinh Cong Son Street by the West Lake in May 2018.

Last year, Hanoi made a plan to open another walking space around the Thien Quang Lake in Hai Ba Trung District, according to which, the pedestrianized sections of Tran Nhan Tong and Quang Trung Streets and surrounding locations together with Thong Nhat Park will make up a large walking space.