After several campaigns to restore urban order, pavements across Hanoi’s central wards have become noticeably tidier and less congested.
Streets once crowded with parked motorbikes, roadside stalls and plastic chairs spilling onto the roadway are now more open, allowing pedestrians to move around more easily.
Areas long considered hotspots for pavement encroachment, including Hang Ma, Hang Ngang and Hang Dao streets, were among the first targeted in the crackdown.
Following repeated inspections, warnings and fines, the sight of goods displayed across pavements has declined sharply, with fewer cases of repeated violations by businesses and street vendors.
Walkways that were previously blocked by vendors and shoppers have widened considerably, reducing the need for pedestrians to step onto the road.
Tourist areas such as Trang Tien Street and Dinh Tien Hoang Street have also seen major changes, with many informal stalls and pavement displays disappearing.
Around Hoan Kiem Lake, cleaner and unobstructed pavements have created a more orderly atmosphere in one of Hanoi’s busiest tourism areas.
The shift is also visible at cafes on streets such as Ma May and Hang Bai, where many businesses previously extended tables and chairs across pavements. Most customers are now seated inside premises.
Some businesses have reduced the size of signs, tables and other items to limit encroachment on public space, leaving wider pavements for pedestrians.
On Nha Tho Street, a popular gathering spot near St Joseph's Cathedral, cafes and drink shops have rearranged seating inside rather than spreading onto the pavement.
Authorities have intensified enforcement operations in recent months, carrying out inspections during both daytime and evening hours while increasing fines for pavement and road encroachment.
Along Phan Dinh Phung Street and Phung Hung Street, many cafes and restaurants have removed outdoor seating from pavements, creating broader public walkways.
Popular pavement tea and snack stalls around St Joseph’s Cathedral, including on Nha Chung and Au Trieu streets, have also largely disappeared.
Residents and foreign tourists can now walk more comfortably along the cleared pavements at night.