A survey on residents’ perception of air pollution in Hanoi and Saigon, done by the Center for Media and Development Initiative (MDI), found 66.4 percent of respondents in Hanoi and 58 percent in Saigon were “dissatisfied” with the current air quality in the two cities.

Just one 1 percent in Hanoi and 2.8 percent in Saigon said they were “satisfied” with local air quality.

Most of the respondents, 76.8 percent in Hanoi and 64.2 in Saigon, said additional measures were necessary to deal with air pollution.

The survey, which questioned over 1,000 residents of both cities from May 14 to August 27, found most respondents, 77 percent in Hanoi and 67.2 percent in Saigon, believe that air quality is poorer today than it was three years ago. They felt traffic, burning of trash and industrial processes were the main causes of worsening air pollution.

49.2 percent of respondents in Hanoi and 50.4 percent in Saigon said the government needs to put in more effort to combat air pollution. The top three solutions identified by the residents were: better emission control, enactment of a clean air act, and higher taxes on activities that pollute the air.

“Air pollution remains controversial as the air pollution measurement systems in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City have not been completed. It is clear in this report, however, that people feel the negative impacts of air pollution,” said Tran Le Thuy, cofounder and director of MDI.

Drastic air pollution control measures should be taken and people should be given a clear and accurate understanding of the levels and sources of air pollution in the two cities, she added.

A recent government report said the PM2.5 particulate level in Hanoi reached a five-year high last month, with officials urging residents to limit outdoor activities. PM2.5 particles, described as superfine particles, are discharged by vehicles, industrial and natural sources like dust and can easily pass through lung tissue and be absorbed into the bloodstream, causing adverse health effects.

Air quality in the capital city was consistently ranked “unhealthy” by air monitoring apps in September and October.

Officials said the low quality of air in Hanoi was caused by construction, a growing number of cars and motorcycles and heavy industry emissions, including steel works, cement factories and coal-fired plants.

Meanwhile, authorities in HCMC admitted at a meeting earlier this month that exhaust from 10 million vehicles, smoke from 1,000 large factories and dust from numerous construction sites are worsening the city’s air pollution.

The department said that the ground beneath three expressways running through the city are left unused.

It has suggested to the Ministry of Transport that temporary roads are built underneath a two-kilometer section of the HCMC-Long Thanh-Dau Giay Expressway, which connects the southern metropolis with Dong Nai Province and Vung Tau beach town.

Parking lots should take up the space underneath the others, which are HCMC-Trung Luong Expressway that connects the city with the Mekong Delta and Ben Luc-Long Thanh that connects the city to its west and east.

The temporary roads should only be used by small vehicles, as bigger ones like trucks or containers running on them could ruin the expressway’s structure, officials said.

The area of land reserved for traffic in HCMC is among the lowest in Vietnam, especially when it comes to space for parking, according to the city’s transport department. It is also one of the reasons why traffic congestion is worsening, hence new solutions just as the one just suggested are needed, it said.

Vietnam’s largest metropolis with 13 million people is frequently plagued by traffic jams. The city has around 7.8 million motorbikes and about 750,000 cars.

Parking space in the city downtown now only meets around 7 percent of total demand, according to urban planning experts. Several parking lot projects have remained on paper for years.

“Without intervention, traffic congestion in the downtown area will get more serious,” said Ngo Hai Duong, head of the road infrastructure development unit under the transport department.

The department said that the city is considering charging downtown tolls for cars as part of efforts to improve the situation, but this measure will not be implemented before 2021.

The employee of Saigon Ground Services, whose full name has not been released, drove his ground vehicle onto the runway, forcing a Vietnam Airlines plane to make a sudden stop on August 19.

His driving license for operating ground support equipment has also been revoked for two months, the Ministry of Transport said on Tuesday.

On August 21, another accident took place at the HCMC international airport. The driver of a mobile boarding ramp lost control and struck a plane waiting to leave for Osaka, Japan, leaving a dent on its fuselage.

The flight had to be postponed by a day and the aircraft has been sent for repairs and checks.

One place in Ho Chi Minh City symbolizes this statement.

Amidst the chaos and noise of a bustling commercial hub, the peace and calm is to be found in a small street that has the widest metaphorical spaces – Nguyen Van Binh Book Street.

Situated in District 1, which is the most urbanized part of the city, this street is a sanctuary hidden in plain sight. Just behind the famous Notre Dame Cathedral and opposite the shiny glass building of Diamond Plaza, this street has been designated for bookshops and has become the city’s Mecca for booklovers.

Somewhat fittingly, the city’s stately Post Office is just around the corner as well.

The street, more than 100 meters long, is lined by bookshops on both sides, and the icing on the cake is comfortable cafes in which one can read books in complete peace and quiet.

In fact, the Nguyen Van Binh Book Street can be seen as an outdoor library, both in terms of the wide selection of books and magazines and in the atmosphere of hushed silence that they are displayed in.

There are about seven to eight publishers here and a total of 21 different stores.

No matter what the genre, the street has a collection for prospective buyers. From newspapers, magazines to stationeries, action, comedy, drama and thrillers or books and manuals like the ‘For Dummies’ series – they are all here.

Books are displayed at Nguyen Van Binh Book Street in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo by Nafi Wernsing.

The street adds considerably to its charm and attraction with many second-hand bookstalls. This is where it is possible to bargain with the store owners for a price that suits both parties. Apart from Vietnamese, there are books in English, Japanese, Korean and Chinese.

All the bookstall owners and staff seem to be very friendly as you stroll down the street. They greet people with warm smiles and are knowledgeable about their impressive collection of books. Browsing the books here, hours can pass without one noticing it.

Nguyen Duc, 23, a book vendor on the street, said the book street is also known for several cultural events. “Many exhibitions are held here,” he said.

“This year, there was an exhibition to celebrate the 20th anniversary of student volunteers who help other people,” he added.

Booklovers are always kept up to date with the latest releases too. Duc said that “every weekend, they present new books here.”

However, being a bookstore owner here has its difficulties. The days are long and tiring.

Bookstores open at half-past eight in the morning and remain open until 9 p.m. “The bookstore owners are always busy,” Duc said.

There are always people visiting the area, but at weekends and during festivals and other events, it becomes a livelier place. Perhaps, for many people, this is a great weekend getaway, where one can relax and enjoy a completely different atmosphere from the rest of the city.

The street’s products and ambience attract people of all ages and from all walks of life. The majority of people that come tend to be mainly students and adults. Since most of the books are in Vietnamese, most of the people here are locals as well. Several book lovers choose to read the books in faces that adjoin the bookshop. There is a play-space for children, and there are teenagers and young adults who sit and read books on the benches outside.

The spaces available to have a drink and read a book at the same time also make the street an ideal place to get a respite from the chaos of the city. It is a meditative space that exerts that influence on people who visit it, too.

You can enjoy reading with a drink along Nguyen Van Binh Book Street. Photo by Nafi Wernsing.

The Book Cafe, for instance, offers a selection of beverages including local coffee, smoothies and juices. The café also has shelves stocked with books that customers can pick up to read while enjoying their drink.

Even if you do not have a lot of money, window shopping for books is a more enriching activity than the usual luxury items in shopping malls. And this street makes it fun, too.

A bus stands in the middle of the street, ready to take passengers to a “world of different stories.” The bus allows you to borrow books for free, and many students do this.

A bus is exhibited on Nguyen Van Binh Book Street as a bookstore. Photo by Nafi Wernsing.

The bookstore owners and staff on the street will also tell you that this is more than just business.

Ta My My, 20, at the Nha Sach Phuong Nam store, said: “It is an honor to be working here. There are many bookstores in Ho Chi Minh, but nothing quite like this street.

“It is in the middle of the city, and everything is about books, it is like a culture.”

‘Never seen before’

Foreign visitors to Vietnam in general and Saigon in particular are also pleasantly surprised by the book street.

Kerry, 21, from South Africa, said: “A street dedicated to books. It is unique. Something I have never seen before.”

One American expat in Saigon said he loved the book street. “I come here a lot, it is so quiet. I wish there were more streets like this in Vietnam.

“There are a lot of bookstores in my hometown in the United States, but no street dedicated just to books. I think it says a lot about Vietnam’s dedication to culture, arts and literature.”

“There is nothing like this in the rest of the city,” said another American expat.

“You can find special treasures here.”

For me, personally, it was nostalgic to swing by the Nha Sach Phuong Nam store, one of the few that sells English books.

Just looking at “The Captain Underpants” series, “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” and Ronald Dahl’s books were a welcome blast from the past.

Children’s comic books at Nguyen Van Binh Book Street. Photo by Nafi Wernsing.

There are many places to visit, in and around Saigon. But there is no place like an open library that will take you places, sometimes beyond your wildest imaginations.

In creating such a space, the city has expanded its horizons within itself. You can go to the same place again and again, and each time, make new discoveries – be it an author, a particular book, artwork or simply an idea you’ve never had before.

As American novelist George R. R. Martin has said: “A mind needs books as a sword needs a whetstone, if it is to keep its edge.”

And this will happen only if major traffic infrastructures, including the city’s first metro line, a 64-km ring road, and a 29-km Bus Rapid Transit route, are completed by then, said Tran Quang Lam, director of the department.

Lam said at an meeting Wednesday that some people have misunderstood that the city is already carrying out the project to collect toll for downtown areas. “The project is currently just a proposal that needs more research.”

When the city agrees to fund the project, his department will carry out a feasibility study and add it to the list of projects needing approval from the city administration.

If the city allows the project to go through, the appointed investor will open bids to select a competent consultant to carry out surveys and a feasibility report that includes toll rates, supporting policies for citizens affected by the gates, traffic simulation, and so on.

For now, the city envisages spending VND250 billion ($10.7 million) on erecting 34 toll gates in Districts 1, 3 and the borders of District 5 and 10. They would restrict access to the city center and certain major roads which frequently suffer traffic jams, the department says in its proposal.

Hoang Sa, Ba Thang Hai, Le Hong Phong, Ly Thai To, Nguyen Van Cu, Vo Van Kiet, Ton Duc Thang and an intersection between Nguyen Phuc Nguyen and Cach Mang Thang Tam streets are some of the planned locations.

The gates would only collect fees for cars entering the city center, not going out. Motorbikes will not be charged. The toll fees would go to the city budget, according to the proposal, which is set to be reviewed by the city’s Department of Planning and Investment.

“It is expected that by 2021, Ring Road 2, metro line 1 and BRT Line 1 are put into operation, large traffic constructions are completed, and public transportation is developed… that’s when we can operate the toll gate project to collect fees from cars entering city downtown areas,” Lam said.

The Ring Road 2 will connect Districts 2, 7, 8, 9, 12, Binh Tan, Thu Duc, Hoc Mon and Binh Chanh. It will help ease chronic traffic congestion in the downtown area by accommodating container trucks, preventing them from running through inner-city areas. The project is expected to be completed by 2020.

Metro line 1 from Ben Thanh in the city center to Suoi Tien to the east of the city, on the other hand, has faced many difficulties since the work started in August 2012. Only 62 percent was completed by the end of last year. Ho Chi Minh City wants its first metro line’s trial run to take place by October next year.

The route runs 20 kilometers (12.43 miles) through Districts of 1, 2, 9, Binh Thanh, and Thu Duc, and Di An District in the neighboring province of Binh Duong.

The city’s first BRT 1 route, along Vo Van Kiet – Mai Chi Tho boulevards between the Districts 1 and 2, is a $144 million project that is also expected to be completed next year.

Lam said cars were the most inefficient vehicle on the streets in terms of space occupied and people carried.

He said that the number of cars in HCMC streets took up 8.5 times the road surface as the number of buses, while the corresponding figure for motorbikes was five-fold that of buses. The people carrying capacity of both buses and motorbikes were the same at 14,000 per hour, and that of cars a paltry 2,000. Thus, cars were occupying inordinate amounts of road surface space while having the poorest people-carrying capacity, he said.

“It is difficult to answer the question of when HCMC will be free of traffic jams. It is not possible to expect that a single solution like the toll gates for cars will do the job. We think that if 10 percent of car owners switched to public transportation, it would reduce congestion a lot, “said Lam.

This isn’t the first time HCMC authorities have requested toll gates for cars entering the city center. In 2010, the city’s People’s Committee has accepted a proposal by the Innovative Technology Development Corporation to build similar toll gates. The plan was scrapped two years later because of opposition from experts and the general public.

Earlier this year, a proposal drafted by the Ministry of Transport’s Transport Development and Strategy Institute asked the city to restrict and eventually ban motorbikes from a number of downtown areas from 2025.

But legal and transportation experts have railed against the ban, calling it “hasty” and “impossible.” The city officials later promised that motorbikes in the city would only be restricted and not banned.

HCMC, the country’s largest metropolis with 13 million people, has around 7.8 million motorbikes and about 750,000 cars, according to the city’s police department.

Car registrations in the city increased 15 percent in the first six months, while motorbikes 6 percent, according to the transport department.

The examination lasted from July 12 to 18, said Dang Vu Minh, president of the Vietnam Union of Science and Technology Associations (VUSTA) and president of the Medical and Science Council, which was formed last month with four Russian experts and seven Vietnamese.

At a meeting on Thursday, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc asked the Russian scientists to continue cooperating with the management board of the Ho Chi Minh mausoleum to preserve his body.

The country should continue to improve methods to examine and preserve the embalmed body, said Victor Vasilievich, a Russian science professor.

Vietnam is among several countries that have embalmed their leaders’ bodies, including Russia, China, and North Korea. The founder of the Soviet State, Vladimir Lenin, was embalmed and placed in the Moscow Mausoleum in 1924, according to the museum’s website.

President Ho Chi Minh died on September 3, 1969. In the following days, his body was embalmed by Soviet Union experts and a special Vietnamese medical team under a joint agreement between the two governments. His body is placed in a glass coffin at a mausoleum named after him in Hanoi. Thousands visit the site annually.

When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, all Soviet scientists left Vietnam, making it difficult for authorities to preserve President Ho’s body, Cao Dinh Kiem, a mausoleum official told local media in April.

The Vietnamese government then negotiated with Russia to move to Vietnam the production of a chemical mixture needed for the preservation. The Russian scientists had kept the formula to themselves in the early days. It was only in 2004 that they agreed to produce the cocktail in Vietnam, which was also when Vietnam officially adopted the technology, Kiem said.