In Tu Liem Ward, the spontaneous trading spot on Nguyen Dong Chi Street is crowded every afternoon. Along a stretch of about 500 meters, dozens of households gather to sell goods.
During peak hours, buying and selling become hectic, and the road is frequently congested.
For more than a decade, the auctioned land area on Ngo Thi Nham Street near Bong Do Market in Ha Dong Ward has become a trading site for hundreds of households.
Because the number of kiosks inside Bong Do Market is limited, many vendors spill out onto the sidewalks around the service land area, forming an informal market. Some even sell goods on part of the roadway.
This informal market operates all day but is usually busiest in the afternoon. The Hanoi People's Committee has recently issued a plan to implement measures to deal with informal markets and spontaneous trading spots, and plans to eliminate 231 such markets across various wards and communes, including the one operating on the Ngo Thi Nham service land area.
Vendors come from many places. Some sell vegetables and produce brought in from elsewhere, while others bring items grown at home. A week ago, many vendors were notified by local authorities about the relocation plan.
About 4 kilometers away, on the sidewalk of the Xa La service land area in Ha Dong Ward, around 100 households also gather to trade at another spontaneous market. This market usually operates in the morning and becomes especially crowded on weekends.
The main goods sold are food, vegetables, meat, and fish, with a few stalls offering household items or clothing.
Hanoi is planning to clear 231 informal markets and spontaneous trading spots to restore urban order. Vendors have expressed concern over the plan.
Mai, a seafood seller, said she has just stocked up for the Lunar New Year. If she is forced to relocate, she may face debt because it is difficult to find a new trading spot immediately.
Along Nam Du Street in Vinh Hung Ward, about 100 stalls sell food and consumer goods. Every available empty space along the road is used to display vegetables.
Goods are displayed right in front of the entrance to Alley 76 on Nam Du Street, occupying nearly half of the roadway. According to the Hanoi People’s Committee, the informal market on Nam Du Street is among those that must be cleared by Jan. 30.
A woman on a motorbike weaves through crowds of people who have stopped to shop.
Hanoi has repeatedly set targets to eliminate informal markets since the 2000s, but they still exist today. Citing their encroachment on roadways and sidewalks, traffic obstruction, environmental pollution, and negative impact on urban aesthetics, the city is developing a comprehensive, long-term roadmap to address the issue.
