VietNamNet Bridge – The Thong Nhat Park underground parking project will help Ha Noi and its people, and resolve economic, social and transportation problems, Ha Noi officials said at a meeting on Tuesday, Dec 23.

The underground parking lot is projected to be built over a 10-hectare area in the Thong Nhat Park. — Photo vtv

As reported earlier, the Ha Noi Parking Company had proposed to the city authorities to build a three-storeyed underground parking lot in the Thong Nhat Park, which costs VND 96 billion (US$4.5 million), to meet the rising demand for car parking in the city.

However, the people, especially the local residents, have raised strong objections to the project as they are afraid that it will destroy the environment, reduce public space as well as raise some social issues.

According to the Deputy Director of the Ha Noi Parking Company Pham Van Duc, the underground parking lot is projected to be built over a 10-hectare area in the Thong Nhat Park.

He said that a hotel had been proposed earlier to be built in the area. However, the city authorities terminated the hotel project under public pressure.

Duc added that the hotel basement had been already constructed, and that his company will upgrade this basement to a parking lot, plant trees to decorate it and connect it to the rest of the park.

Nguyen Van Thinh, Deputy Chief of the Ha Noi People's Committee Office, pointed out that the project was feasible for meeting the rising demand for car parking in the city, providing more public space for the local people and attracting more visitors to the park.

He said that the city authorities will ensure that the area is used only to build a parking lot, and it will be wasteful if the already-constructed area is filled up and abandoned.

However, he added that the Ha Noi authorities will get feedback from other individuals and organisations on the project and consider other solutions, if they were proved to be more cost-effective.

VNS/VNN