LookAtVietnam – Roadside buildings in Ha Noi’s Old Quarter that have more than three storeys or exceed a 12-metre height limit will be forced to scale back.

New construction sites disrupt life on Hang Bac Street. The height of roadside buildings in the Old Quarter has been limited to 12 metres.

“There are a lot of unsightly four and five-storey constructions with metal roofs in the Old Quarter, especially on Hang Dieu, Hang Ga, Hang Bo, Lo Ren and Cha Ca streets,” said Hai.

The division recently released a warning to owners of illegal buildings, instructing them to scale back buildings that exceed height restrictions.

“Buildings that ignore the warning are in danger of being torn down,” said Hai.

“Some owners don’t mind paying fines for construction violations,” he said. “So we have asked them to scale back their buildings immediately or their buildings will be torn down.”

The district’s Chief Inspector, Hoang Duong Lai, said illegal buildings, once scaled back, would be under the management of local wards.

“Any ward leader who lets violations continue will have to take responsibilities for this,” he said.

Truong Thi Na, who recently sold her 20-sq.m house on Hang Bong Street in the heart of the Old Quarter, said she couldn’t stand living in the cramped conditions.

“I have a large family and decided that I’d give up a great business location to live a more comfortable life,” she said.

“To make life easier for residents in the Old Quarter, authorities should relocate some people, especially older generations, to new urban areas.”

Inspector Lai said a project worth VND4 trillion (US$220 million) to relocate 1,900 households from the Old Quarter to the 12-ha Viet Hung new urban area was about to be submitted to the municipal People’s Committee for approval.

“The project is expected to not only contribute to better preserving the 100-ha Old Quarter but also to improving living standards for many of the quarter’s 200,000 residents,” he said.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News