A newly-issued regulation by the Hanoi People's Committee has banned the construction of trade centres or new residential areas in the old quarter.
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| Cramped living quarter |
The old quarter is a national historical site with the typical architecture style of old Hanoi. It still has many traditional crafts and festivals which serve the quarter's function as a trade and tourism centre.
Currently, this quarter has a population of about 66,600 but it is expected to be reduced to 45,000 by 2020.
The regulation also stated that underground constructions are banned from most of the streets in the old quarter. Underground constructions can be built on Tran Quang Khai and Tran Nhat Duat streets with conditions that it will not affect valuable and historical sites.
Even new residential projects that may increase the old quarter's population, traffic flow or affect the environment is also banned.
In near future, authorities of Hanoi is going to clear the streets by removing advertisement boards, additional constructions or or rusty covers of all houses in the area.
