The pedestrian mall around Hanoi’s Hoan Kiem Lake and surrounding areas will be officially put into operation from January 1, after a three-year trial, the Vietnam News Agency quoted Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Chung as announcing on December 26.
The creation of the pedestrian mall has become a magnet for visitors, both local and foreign, with some 3,000-5,000 people filling the vehicle-free streets during daytime and 15,000-20,000 in the evening.
The pedestrian mall includes the streets of Hang Buom, Ma May, Dao Duy Tu, Hang Giay, Luong Ngoc Quyen, Ta Hien, Hang Ngang, Hang Dao, Hang Duong, Dong Xuan, Dinh Tien Hoang, Le Thai To, Hang Khay, Hang Bai, Trang Tien, Dinh Le, Nguyen Xi, Le Lai, Le Thach, Tran Nguyen Han, Lo Su, Luong Van Can, and Bao Khanh.
The pedestrian mall is open from 7pm on Friday to midnight on Sunday in the summer and from 6pm to midnight in the winter.
The Hanoi People’s Committee has assigned Hoan Kiem district to expand the pedestrian mall to the southern part of the Old Quarter.
In the short-term, this will cover Dinh Liet, Gia Ngu, Cau Go, Hang Be, Hang Dau, and Trung Yen streets, in a bid to reduce overcrowding on the existing pedestrian mall.
