HCM City (VNS/VNA) -Large areas under elevated roadways in Ho Chi Minh City lie abandonedeven as the city suffers from a severe shortage of parking spaces.

Thousands of square metres under thecity's two major highways, HCM City – Trung Luong and HCM City – Long Thanh– Dau Giay, have become dumping grounds for residents to leave their waste.

Some households let their animals roamaround free in these spaces, and industrial vehicles park there at night,waiting until the hour they are allowed to enter the city centre, TuoiTre (Youth) newspaper reported.

“Trucks and containers frequent this area andrisk causing traffic accidents,” said Truong Thi Hoa Thu, a resident wholives by the HCM City – Long Thanh – Dau Giay highway. “People often getterrified passing this way.”

A survey conducted by the city’s Department ofTransport in September 2018 revealed that all of the city's parking spaces metjust 20 percent of demand.

Do Ngoc Dung, former deputy director of the CuuLong Corporation for Investment, Development and Project Management ofInfrastructure which owns the HCM City – Trung Lương construction project,said it was a waste for the city not to take advantage of these spaces whilethere was such a severe parking shortage.

“But there is nothing we can do since currentregulations don’t allow spaces under flyovers and bridges to be used for anyother purpose,” he said.

These regulations include a decree issued by theGovernment in 2010 and a circular issued by the Ministry of Transport in 2015,which both specify that spaces under elevated infrastructure should not be usedfor residential, business or parking purposes.

A similar circular issued by the Ministry of Transportin 2017 includes the same regulation, and explains it is necessary because theareas must be available when the elevated roads need maintenance and repairs.

An official from the Road Administration No 4under the Directorate for Roads of Vietnam said the spaces could not be usedfor parking because the flyovers were designed only for traffic.

If parking lots and commercial centres were tobe built there, the roadways should have been designed with ample spacefor both maintenance and fire prevention from the start, he said.

Nguyen Van Thanh, Director of Road AdministrationNo 4, said these spaces should be put to use.

“Thailand, Taiwan and Singapore have builtparking lots under their bridges,” Thanh said. "Singapore has evenbuilt multi-level basements and offers commercial services there."

Thanh said he would ask for adjustments toregulations to allow other uses.

“Engineers should also think about designingbridges that have enough space underneath to install fire prevention works,” hesaid.-VNS/VNA