Hanoi prepares 5th walking street around Ngoc Khanh Lake

The Ba Dinh District People’s Committee said a pedestrian street project around Ngoc Khanh Lake would span around 12 ha, including 36,000 sq.m of the lake and 3,800 sq.m of a garden on Nguyen Chi Thanh Street.

The district said it wants the pedestrian street, which will also be used for various services, to include Pham Huy Thong Street and eight branches that connect the lake with streets like Kim Ma, Nguyen Chi Thanh and La Thanh.

The district will spend VND9 billion ($383,210) to renovate gardens and plant trees as a highlight of the pedestrian project, especially for the Nguyen Chi Thanh section right next to the lake.

In the long run, the district is considering a water fountain or a water stage as another highlight.

The Ba Dinh People's Committee has proposed the expansion of certain traffic points from the fourth quarter onwards, as well as the removal of outdated billboards on Pham Huy Thong Street. In the fourth quarter of 2023, the finishing touches for the project will be completed, district officials said.

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

The four pedestrian streets that Hanoi currently has are at: the Hoan Kiem Lake; the Old Quarter; Trinh Cong Son Street; and the Son Tay Fortress, which will open for the upcoming Reunification Day – Labor Day holiday (April 30 – May 1).