Video: Kinh Duong Vuong Bridge is occupied as a place for street vendors and water sellers

Kinh Duong Vuong steel arch bridge (also known as Phat Tich - Dai Dong Thanh bridge) across Duong river, connecting Tien Du district and Thuan Thanh town, was inaugurated by Bac Ninh province on October 11.

However, just a few days after being put into use, the highest steel arch bridge in Vietnam was occupied by people to sell goods, causing chaos and traffic insecurity.

According to VTC News, every night there are about 8-10 water stalls set up on both sides of the bridge or along the bridge corridor. Not only do they set up dozens of tables and chairs, but the stalls also spread tarps and mats right on the walkways along the bridge corridor. The crowd usually gathers from 7pm to 11pm.

Witnessing the scene of heavy trucks speeding across the bridge while some people and vehicles stop right on the bridge to buy goods and sit and drink water makes anyone passing by feel scared.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Nga (in Canh Hung commune, Tien Du district, Bac Ninh) said: " I am a worker who often has to work overtime so I come home late. Every time I pass by here at around 8pm, shops, motorbikes, and sometimes even cars stop and park, occupying an entire lane of the bridge, making it very dangerous to travel on the bridge. People passing by here can have an accident at any time."

Mr. Nguyen Duc Hung (in Xuan Lam ward, Thuan Thanh town) said that he often has to travel from his home to Tien Du district and Tu Son city. Since Kinh Duong Vuong bridge was inaugurated, his travel has been very convenient, saving time.

However, every time he crosses the bridge on his way home from work, he feels uneasy because some people brazenly sell drinks and occupy the pedestrian walkway on the bridge. Sometimes they even park their carts under the bridge, obstructing traffic.

"Because the bridge has just been inaugurated, many people passing by out of curiosity stop to take pictures, some people sit and drink water, enjoy the cool breeze and park their cars right on the bridge. Although the traffic is not so heavy that it is congested, doing business and stopping like that is very dangerous and poses a potential risk of traffic accidents," Mr. Hung added.

Mr. Luu Xuan Manh said that he often drives from Hai Phong to Bac Ninh. When passing Kinh Duong Vuong bridge at night, he always feels insecure when many people on motorbikes suddenly stop to enjoy the breeze and take pictures, causing danger to other vehicles.

Having fallen off his motorbike in a similar situation, Mr. Nguyen Duc Cuong (in Dai Dong Thanh commune, Thuan Thanh town) shared: “ At around 7:00 p.m. on October 21, I was traveling from the company to my home in Dai Dong Thanh commune. While walking on Kinh Duong Vuong bridge, a car in front suddenly stopped, I didn't have time to react and fell onto the road.

Luckily, there were no cars behind me at that time so I only suffered minor scratches. After that, I was always afraid to cross this bridge."

Responding to VTC News, Major Nguyen Phung Cuong, Chief of Canh Hung Commune Police, Tien Du District, said that the situation of people encroaching on the railings and bridge bed to sell water has been happening since Kinh Duong Vuong Bridge was not yet in operation.

After the bridge was inaugurated, this not only caused aesthetic damage but also seriously affected traffic safety.

"We have been propagating and mobilizing people to raise awareness not to sell goods on the bridge, especially every night the authorities organize patrols on the bridge. However, when the authorities arrive, the street vendors run away, and when the authorities leave, they continue to sell. Meanwhile, the inspection force is still small, so it is difficult," Major Cuong added.

Confirming with VTC News, the leader of the Traffic Police Team, Thuan Thanh Town Police said that the Team has grasped the problem of stopping and selling goods on Kinh Duong Vuong Bridge.

After the actual inspection, the Traffic Police Team advised the unit's leaders to direct the two communes of Dinh To and Dai Dong Thanh to coordinate with the Town Traffic Police Team to increase patrols, control, detect, and thoroughly handle the situation of street vending and illegal parking on the bridge.

"To thoroughly handle the situation of encroachment on the bridge and punish traffic participants who stop and park indiscriminately on Kinh Duong Vuong bridge, the Traffic Police Team recommends that the authorities consider putting up "no stopping or parking" signs in both directions on Kinh Duong Vuong bridge so that the Traffic Police force as well as the commune police have a basis to handle violating vehicles," said the leader of the Traffic Police Team of Thuan Thanh Town Police.

Kinh Duong Vuong Bridge has a total investment of nearly 2,000 billion VND, a scale of 4 lanes, a total length of more than 1.5km, of which the main bridge is 1.2km long.

The highlight of Kinh Duong Vuong Bridge is the architecture of 5 arches 40 - 67m high and a steel arch up to 87m high. This is the bridge with the highest steel arch in Vietnam today.

The bridge is a new traffic junction of Bac Ninh province, connecting the region with the Red River Delta provinces and neighboring provinces such as: Hanoi, Bac Giang, Thai Nguyen, Hung Yen, Hai Duong via National Highway 1, National Highway 38, National Highway 5, National Highway 17 and Provincial Roads 276, 287, therefore, the traffic of people and vehicles moving through this area is quite crowded.

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