Workers make new pavement and grow green trees in Dien Bien Phu Street, HCM City.

The planting has been planned in reponse to public concerns that pavement repairs and upgrades had “negatively affected” nearly 700 trees in the city. Workers had either cut the roots or dumped construction waste at the base of the trees or removed the ornamental garden surrounds.

The department had now issued new instructions on upgrading pavements, said Nguyen Khac Dung, head of the tree and park management section of the municipal Department of Transport. When pavements were upgraded in future, 1-1.25m of the 3m width would be used for pedestrians while the rest would be used to plant ornamental trees. If the streets had hedges or fences, these would be decorated with creepers.

Planting has already been undertaken in Ba Huyen Thanh Quan and Ly Tu Trong streets.

It is planned that 48 more routes in downtown districts will be decorated with green trees. Le Duan, Huyen Tran Cong Chua, Nguyen Thi Minh Khai and Nguyen Dinh Chieu streets are next to be covered with such ornamental trees. When planting is finished, the city will have 12ha of green trees.

“I feel so fresh, and I love it. The street looks more beautiful,” said Pham Ha Phi, a resident of Ba Huyen Thanh Quan Street.

Experts, meanwhile, said “green” pavements helped reduce exposure to sunlight and would make the atmosphere less polluted. And flood prevention expert Ho Long Phi said if the area of planting was increased significantly to 70ha, it would help reduce flooding.

New pavements will also be designed with a separate path for disadvantaged people and features for the vision-impaired.

Research has been urged on installing traffic light and signs with sounds to help the blind.—

VNN/VNS