Reporting to the hotline of Lao Dong Newspaper, people in Yen Nghia and Dong Mai areas said that the Mai Linh market project (Yen Nghia ward, Hanoi) after more than 10 years of completion is still in a state of closed doors, many items are used as warehouses or offices. Meanwhile, people in the area do not have an official traditional market to trade, having to temporarily gather along the road, posing a potential risk of insecurity.
Mai Linh market has been invested in since 2014 but has not been effective because the construction is not in accordance with the basic design, and has not been granted a construction permit... Although the authorities have taken strong action, the change is still not significant.
According to the representative of Yen Nghia Ward People's Committee, since its inauguration, the market has not functioned properly; most of the area is vacant, many items are seriously degraded and are very wasteful.
In Report No. 38/BC-KTHTDT dated October 21, 2025 of Yen Nghia Ward People's Committee, it is stated that the project has many violations of construction order such as: construction without a license, design drawings that are not in accordance with the detailed planning 1/500, not approved for fire prevention and fighting, and technical documents that do not need confirmation from specialized agencies.
Previously, the People's Committee of Ha Dong District (old) issued Decision No. 1632/QD-KPHQ dated March 17, 2014 requesting to remedy the consequences, but so far many problems have not been completely resolved.
According to the actual records of Lao Dong Newspaper reporters, some kiosks in the market are being used for the wrong purpose, as real estate offices, technology companies, brick and mortar stores and sanitary equipment. Internal roads are degraded, water systems are damaged, and weeds are growing wildly. Meanwhile, people still have to gather at temporary markets in the nearby "morning market", the premises are cramped, the works are degraded, dilapidated, unsafe and unsanitary.
On November 8, speaking with a reporter from Lao Dong Newspaper, Mr. Pham Anh Tuan - Head of the Economic, Infrastructure and Urban Affairs Department of Yen Nghia Ward said that the investor has issued a document proposing to the Hanoi People's Committee to consider adjusting the project target, converting Mai Linh market to a social housing model. The ward has reported and requested the investor to correct all existing violations before considering the conversion plan.
Also according to Mr. Pham Anh Tuan on July 1, 2025 of the Hanoi People's Committee, there is Decision No. 3621/QD-UBND, which includes the following content: The "Mai Linh Social Housing" project proposed by Vietnam Trade Development Joint Stock Company has been included in the list of social housing projects for the period 2021-2025 (phase 6), with an area of 0.7 hectares, total construction floor area of 14,615m2, scale of 150 apartments. However, the decision also clearly states: "Information on projects is only expected; the Hanoi People's Committee assigns departments and branches to appraise and review before submitting for consideration and decision".
In fact, while the investment in the local market has not yet remedied the violation, and local people do not have a standard market for sale, the request to change the project's target has made many people worried. They said that this needs to be carefully considered, ensuring both the thorough handling of violations and meeting the actual needs of the people.
A billion-dollar project is abandoned, while the nearby temporary market has to "carry" the needs of the people - that is a paradox that needs to be resolved soon. Public opinion believes that, before considering switching to a new project, it is important to end waste, completely handle violations that have existed for many years, restore the right function of land use, ensure investment efficiency and the rights of the community.
