Ho Chi Minh City traffic police step up efforts to restore order at wholesale markets ahead of Tet

In the lead-up to Tet, traffic flows around major wholesale markets have become congested and complicated, an officer said on Monday.

The volume of goods and food transported into the city continues to surge, turning wholesale markets into hotspots for traffic congestion and public order concerns.

Many trucks, three- and four-wheeled vehicles, handcarts, and makeshift vehicles have been entering these markets, with some reportedly failing to meet safety standards, posing high risks of traffic accidents and disorder.

In response, traffic police have proactively coordinated with functional forces to intensify professional operations, ensuring safe and smooth travel for residents, preventing traffic jams and accidents, and restoring order at key wholesale market areas.

Traffic police and commune-level police are conducting baseline surveys and reviewing main roads and surrounding alleys where spontaneous trading activities often encroach on traffic safety corridors, sidewalks, and roadways.

Joint patrol and control plans have been implemented on key and high-risk traffic routes, particularly those surrounding wholesale markets.

The focus is on easing traffic pressure, clearing violations of traffic safety corridors, and promptly addressing illegal occupation of roads and sidewalks for trading, improper parking, environmental hygiene violations, and issues affecting urban aesthetics.

Task forces led by traffic police officers, in coordination with commune police and grassroots security forces, have been established to regulate traffic from a distance.

These teams manage the entry of container trucks and vehicles into wholesale markets to reduce congestion and prevent conflicts with personal vehicles during peak hours.

Control posts have been set up at the main gates of wholesale markets to keep entrances and exits clear and to ensure rapid response in the event of incidents.

Patrols and inspections are being conducted around the clock, with a focus on detecting and handling violations that directly lead to traffic accidents.

Through these patrols, coordinated forces have also discovered criminal, economic, drug-related and environmental offenses, as well as cases involving the illegal trade and storage of explosives, weapons, banned or counterfeit goods, and unsafe food products of unclear origin.

Alongside enforcement, communication, and public awareness campaigns have been intensified across multiple platforms.

The decisive actions taken by authorities to restore order at wholesale markets have contributed to improved traffic safety and public security across the city, while also raising public awareness and compliance with traffic laws, particularly among traders and goods transport operators in wholesale market areas.