Photo: vanhoathethao.vn

HCM City will distinguish between its urban and rural areas for deciding the amount of fines motorists have to pay for violating road rules under a recent Government decree that has increased the fines.

The decree, which takes effort on May 20, allows HCM City and Hanoi to increase the fines by 40 to 200 percent from current rates, but requires them to distinguish between urban and rural roads.

A 36-month pilot programme in the two cities will see much higher fines imposed in urban areas for the same offences. Authorities in the two cities are, however, divided over the issue with many saying making the differentiation is hard.

Nguyen Xuan Tan, deputy director of the Hanoi Department of Transport, said it would be difficult to exactly differentiate between urban and rural areas.

Tran Chi Dung, director of HCM City’s Department of Planning and Architecture, said Cu Chi, Hoc Mon, Binh Chanh, Nha Be and Can Gio districts are considered rural.

But a District 12 People’s Committee leader disagreed saying the demarcation is not clear.

He cited the instance of National Road 22 (from An Suong fly-over to Ba Diem intersection), pointing out that one side it is in District 12 and the other, in Hoc Mon district, making it difficult for the traffic police to decide on the amount.

The city Department of Transport plans to soon hold a meeting with the concerned agencies to discuss the issue but it has yet to decide the date.

Source: VNA