Dust chokes construction sites across Hanoi roads

Dust from the Nguyen Tuan road expansion project and De La Thanh road construction blankets homes, covers furniture, and forces commuters to slow down due to poor visibility.

Many vehicles parked in front of house number 63 Nguyen Huy Tuong, near the Nguyen Tuan intersection, were covered in white dust after just one night. Residents resorted to using tarpaulins to cover them.

The ongoing expansion of Nguyen Tuan street, a one-kilometer stretch connecting Nguyen Trai and Le Van Luong streets, frequently turns muddy when it rains and intensely dusty in dry weather, making travel difficult.

Approved in 2018, the Nguyen Tuan road improvement and expansion project has an investment of nearly 400 billion VND, which includes land acquisition costs. The plan involves widening a 720-meter section from the Nguyen Trai intersection to alley 162 Nguyen Tuan. Upon completion, the road will have a cross-section of 21 meters, including a 15-meter wide carriageway and two 3-meter wide sidewalks.

Many shops on De La Thanh street, Giang Vo ward, have been forced to close due to dust from the construction site. One furniture store selling sofas and interior items has covered its storefront with tarpaulins and nylon sheets, serving as protection against both rain and dust on sunny days.

To implement the project, authorities acquired land from 160 households and 11 organizations. After years of compensation negotiations, all households had agreed to hand over the land by 15/10/2025.

The Nguyen Tuan road improvement and expansion project aims to complete a section that has been unfinished for over 20 years. *Hoang Khanh*

On the other side of the road, dozens of excavators, rollers, and bulldozers are being urgently deployed for the 2,3-kilometer Hoang Cau - Voi Phuc section of Ring Road 1, a project with a total investment exceeding 7,200 billion VND. The project is expected to be completed in 2026.

However, the prolonged construction has caused hardship for residents and commuters. Many people cover their noses and mouths, or wear masks and helmets with visors, driving slowly through the construction zones.

Before Tet, several road sections were excavated, requiring residents and businesses to use wooden planks for access.

A building on Nguyen Tuan street is covered in dust, surrounded by construction debris. Approximately 200 meters away, the basement of another apartment building is filled with dust-laden vehicles. Many cars left for two to three days accumulate thick layers of dust, which hardens into clumps over longer periods, obscuring license plates and mirrors.

Dao Thi Lan, a cleaning worker in the area, noted that her workload has doubled since the road construction began. Previously, she cleaned every two days; now she must clean daily. "Even with continuous cleaning, the dust returns in about half a day", Lan said.

Approximately 6 kilometers away, De La Thanh street, about 9 meters wide, is a busy route for several bus lines. As vehicles speed by, dust churns up from beneath them, severely limiting visibility for motorcyclists following behind.

One side of the street is barricaded with corrugated iron sheets for the construction of Ring Road 1, specifically the Hoang Cau - Voi Phuc section.

Nguyen Anh Giang, who owns a nearby general store, stated that he cleans the floor and snack packaging twice a day, but the dust persists. He avoids fully enclosing his shop with nylon or tarpaulins, fearing it would deter customers.

"Many days, I have to rewash dishes before eating because dust penetrates even to the kitchen at the back of the store", Giang added.

"Every day, as soon as we open, we have to wipe the dust off the merchandise", the store owner said. Even items kept indoors get dusty, so many products must be wiped clean before being handed to customers.