Users of the city’s public bicycle service have reported to Dantri that a station on Nguyen Thai Hoc Street, Cau Ong Lanh Ward, is being heavily affected by pigeons.
Located at the intersection of Nguyen Thai Hoc and Le Thi Hong Gam streets, in front of Nguyen Thai Hoc Primary School, the station is a regular gathering point for large flocks of pigeons. The birds perch above the docking area and frequently soil the bicycles, making them difficult or impossible to use.
Pigeons depositing waste on public bicycles in Ho Chi Minh City (Photo: Ngoc Tan).
The station has nearly 20 bicycles, with around half covered in droppings on seats and handlebars.
A representative of Tri Nam Joint Stock Company, operator of the TNGO public bicycle service in Ho Chi Minh City, said the company is aware of the problem and plans to deploy vehicles to collect and clean the affected bicycles.
For a longer term solution, the operator has proposed relocating the station. Any decision on relocation will be made by the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Construction.
A flock of pigeons causing contamination at the bicycle station on Nguyen Thai Hoc Street (Photo: Ngoc Tan).
The Nguyen Thai Hoc corridor is known as one of the largest pigeon gathering areas in the city. Large numbers of birds can be seen perching on rooftops, lamp posts and signage, occasionally descending to pavements and creating what some residents consider a picturesque urban scene.
However, the flocks have also become a source of environmental concern. Pavement sections along the street are increasingly stained by droppings and food waste left behind by residents and tourists who feed the birds.
