Ensuring traffic safety for visitors to Huong Pagoda

Kinhtedothi - Hanoi Department of Transport Inspectorate coordinated with functional forces to deploy a plan to ensure order and traffic safety for the Huong Pagoda festival in My Duc district. Coming to Huong Pagoda this year, visitors can easily feel the friendly and pleasant atmosphere.

High number of visitors

According to statistics from the Organizing Committee of the Huong Pagoda Festival, by February 2, the 5th day of the Lunar New Year, Huong Pagoda had welcomed nearly 60,000 visitors. The number of visitors to the Huong Pagoda scenic relic site is increasing, so the work of ensuring traffic safety and order is being urgently deployed.

Since early morning on February 2, thousands of visitors have flocked to the ferry terminal to buy tickets to visit the site. The Department of Transport Inspectorate has been present early to regulate, direct traffic as well as ensure traffic safety on roads and waterways.

By February 2, the 5th day of the Lunar New Year, Huong Pagoda had welcomed nearly 60,000 visitors.

Mr. Bui Ngoc Tan - Captain of the Inland Waterway Inspection Team said: "In carrying out the tasks of the Hanoi Department of Transport Inspectorate, we have proactively developed plans and plans for deploying forces, regularly monitoring the situation of order and traffic safety on the assigned waterways to coordinate with the district police to resolve congestion and unsafe situations arising on the route. At the same time, we coordinate with local authorities and relevant forces in the inspection and handling of administrative violations of organizations and individuals participating in the business of transporting passengers on inland waterways to comply with legal regulations."

Mr. Bui Ngoc Tan added that the Hanoi Department of Transport Inspectorate also promoted the dissemination of the content, plan, inspection process, and handling of administrative violations to the people and organizations and individuals participating in the festival. Thereby, raising awareness and sense of law compliance when participating in traffic, limiting traffic accidents...

From early morning on February 2, thousands of visitors flocked to the ferry to buy tickets to visit.

“The inspection results show that businesses and people basically comply with traffic safety regulations. However, we will maintain our forces and be on duty at the Huong Pagoda area until the end of the 2025 festival season,” said Mr. Bui Ngoc Tan.

According to Mr. Bui Ngoc Tan, the unit regularly checks all boats and ferries at Yen wharf for safety conditions, life buoys, floating equipment, etc., not allowing boats to carry more people than the prescribed number, and not charging more than the prescribed price. In particular, it is absolutely forbidden to use motorized boats that violate regulations to transport passengers, or to sell goods or sing for money on Yen stream. In cases of intentional violations, they will be dealt with firmly. Motorized boats that are not licensed to carry passengers will be immediately pulled out of Yen stream.

Mr. Dang Van Canh - Vice Chairman of My Duc District People's Committee, Head of the Organizing Committee of Huong Pagoda Festival said: "Promoting the results achieved in the innovation of boat and ferry management, we have built a plan early to prepare to welcome tourists to Huong Pagoda. The cooperative will be responsible for selling tickets as well as assigning ferrymen in turns. There will be absolutely no competition or attracting of passengers. The number of visitors to the pagoda will be divided equally, in turn, to each ferryman".

Passengers go through the ticket gate to get off the ferry.

In addition, My Duc district also requires the boat and ferry cooperative to renovate, paint, repair or rebuild old and broken vehicles and equip them with floating docks, life jackets, sun umbrellas and free drinking water for tourists.

According to Mr. Dang Van Canh, it is forecasted that in the 2025 festival season, Huong Pagoda will welcome 1.2 million visitors, an increase of about 40,000 visitors compared to last year. Therefore, ensuring traffic on both roads and waterways is of special concern. The District People's Committee also held a meeting and requested the functional forces to coordinate closely to promptly and strictly handle violations.

End the traffic jam

Ms. Trinh Thi Tam - a boat driver of the Huong Pagoda Tourism Service Cooperative said: "This year, the boats will be divided into shifts, so we only have to go to the dock at this time. The Cooperative's management board arranges the passengers so every boat driver has passengers to take, no need to wait long or call for them."

Tickets are printed with ferry numbers, so there is no confusion.

To ensure the transportation of passengers visiting and worshiping at the pagoda is convenient and safe, during the year, the family's vehicle has been painted, repaired and equipped with new life jackets and floating docks.

“The number of passengers this year is higher than in previous years. However, the boats and ferries carrying passengers were organized by the Waterway Transport Inspectorate to propagate and guide before the festival, and were arranged scientifically and orderly, so their operations were very smooth and convenient. The profits from transporting passengers were transparent and distributed fairly among all nearly 4,000 ferrymen, so everyone was excited, voluntarily worked properly, and complied with regulations.

“Each ferry driver here has his own card number, which is also the ferry number, so that passengers can easily find it when they get to the wharf. The ferry driver only transports passengers with tickets according to the issued number and cards with QR codes from the Organizing Committee,” said Ms. Trinh Thi Tam.

The Department of Transport Inspectorate is on duty to strictly handle violations of passenger transport.

Visiting and worshiping Huong Pagoda on the morning of February 2, Ms. Le Lan Huong, residing in Vinh Phuc province, said: “Unlike previous years, the boat and ferry service at Huong Pagoda has been completely renovated. There is no longer the chaotic and enticing scene like in previous years. Life jackets and floating docks are also fully equipped, so we, the passengers, feel very secure and comfortable when traveling.”

According to Ms. Huong, along the Yen wharf area, the ferry gates have been organized systematically, with automatic ticket scanning gates combined with guidance staff. In addition, the electric cars picking up and dropping off passengers are regulated according to the ferry wharf's rhythm, distributing traffic according to reality, giving priority to dropping off passengers in the empty ferry area. Therefore, the traffic congestion from the shore down to the stream has ended.