Hanoi authorities have agreed in principle to a local private firm's proposal to develop 100 clean and environmentally-friendly streets in inner-city areas.
Vice Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee Nguyen The Hung said that the streets must be clean, have green space and improved traffic.
They will be re-decorated, but required to keep their traditional architectural features.
The streets are expected to help the city to better manage business activities, including shops and restaurants, as well as improve the traffic.
In May this year all the businesses on Le Trong Tan Street in Thanh Xuan District were forced, despite opposition, to adopt identikit signage, it seems unclear whether this is the kind of ‘model’ streets the city is talking about.
Hanoi has called for more private investment into municipal projects to ease pressure on the city’s finances. The authorities recently agreed to an advertising company’s proposal to build 1,000 new public toilets. In exchange, the company will be permitted to advertise on footbridges and overpasses across the city.