Walking dogs might be banned from Hanoi’s walking streets

City authorities are gathering opinions on a draft regulation on the management of activities on walking streets near the Hoan Kiem Lake and surrounding areas, which, among other things, requires people not to swear and dress appropriately.

It bans people from leashing or releasing pets, cattle and poultry in the said areas. Swimming and fishing in the Hoan Kiem Lake will be banned as well.

Vehicles cannot be parked either on the sidewalks or streets within the area. Street vending, begging and services like shoe polishing are also forbidden.

Artistic or sporting activities, including exercises or magic trick performances that use equipment like loudspeakers or musical instruments, which can affect other common activities on the walking streets, will not be allowed without approval from authorities. People must show proof of approval by authorities when bringing sound-producing tools and instruments into the area.

Hanoi’s exclusively pedestrian zone, which includes areas around Hoan Kiem Lake and around a dozen streets surrounding it, comes into effect from 7 p.m. to midnight during the weekends.

The streets, which were temporarily closed on August 21 following the second COVID-19 outbreak in Vietnam, were reopened on September 18.

The streets usually receive up to 25,000 visitors every day on average, with numbers going up to around 200,000 during holidays, according to the Hoan Kiem District People’s Committee.