New market spacious... but deserted
Started in July 2024, Hoa Hiep Bac market (Hai Van ward, Da Nang city) is expected to become the main trading point for the northwest Da Nang area. The project has a total investment of nearly 20 billion VND, a 3rd-class market scale with more than 150 business households, synchronously invested in electricity, water, and internal traffic infrastructure.
According to the plan, the market will go into operation from the first quarter of 2025. However, actual records on March 19 show that inside the market area is still deserted. Stalls are covered in dust, tables and chairs are stacked, many items are almost "frozen" for a long time.
Meanwhile, the demand for a large-scale market in the area is very large. For many years, people have had to buy and sell at temporary markets such as Thuy Tu, Vat Tu, Kim Lien - which have deteriorated, are unsafe and do not ensure hygiene.
Many small traders expressed their desire to move to the new market to stabilize their business, but there are still many concerns.
We hope to have a decent and clean place to trade. But the location of the new market is located in a sparsely populated residential area, we are afraid that opening it without customers will make it very difficult to live," a small trader at Vat Tu market shared.
The concern is not only in the location but also in the purchasing power and consumption habits of the people. When temporary markets still exist, relocating small traders to new markets becomes even more difficult.
Encountering fire prevention and fighting, slow handover
According to the leader of Hai Van Ward People's Committee, Hoa Hiep Bac market is built to replace spontaneous markets, contributing to urban embellishment and improving business conditions. However, the project has not yet been put into operation due to procedural issues.
Although the market infrastructure is basically completed, the fire prevention and fighting system between the consulting unit and the construction unit is not unified, causing slow acceptance and handover.
Only when this item is completed will the project be eligible to be handed over to the local management and put into use" - a representative of the local government said.
To put the market into operation soon, the local government has developed a plan to relocate small traders from temporary markets. However, small traders believe that just relocating is not enough.
There need to be specific support policies in the initial stage such as reducing booth rental fees, supporting relocation costs, and at the same time promoting propaganda to make small traders clearly see the benefits when switching to a civilized and safe business environment.
In addition, reorganizing trading activities at temporary markets and spontaneous markets is also a key factor to create a stable source of small traders for the new market.
Otherwise, the dusty stalls in the nearly 20 billion VND new market may continue to last - becoming a familiar image of a project "invested and left there".
