Limit street name changes to avoid causing inconvenience to people

Conference to evaluate the implementation of Decree No. 91/2005/ND-CP after 20 years of implementation in Ho Chi Minh City

Decree No. 91/2005/ND-CP dated July 11, 2005 of the Government on promulgating the Regulation on naming and renaming roads, streets and public works (hereinafter referred to as Decree No. 91). From 2005 to present, the competent authority of Ho Chi Minh City (before the merger) has issued documents naming 643 roads and public works; renaming 3 roads and adjusting the routes of 19 roads. The roads are named and renamed in accordance with historical traditions, cultural celebrities, typical places, etc.

The Bank of Street Names and Public Works, which has been implemented since 2006, currently has 1,375 names, of which 620 have been used to name streets, and 755 names have not been used. The types in the Bank of Street Names and Public Works are quite diverse, such as: famous people (including domestic and foreign figures); place names; historical events, revolutionary movements, and historical-cultural relics, scenic spots.

Nguyen Hue walking street area, a destination attracting tourists and locals with large-scale street activities and outdoor art. Photo: DUNG PHUONG

From 2005 to 2025, Ho Chi Minh City witnessed a sharp increase in the number of newly named streets. By June 2025, the city had named or renamed about 880 streets in the area. At the same time, it named four public works, including Thu Thiem Tunnel (Resolution No. 27/2011/NQ-HDND, 2011), Phu Huu Bridge (Decision No. 3202/QD-UBND, 2016), Ba Son Bridge and Thu Thiem (Resolution 60/NQ-HDND, 2022).

However, in reality, many street names are incorrect and meaningless. In the first 6 months of 2025, the City Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism adjusted street names such as: Bui Huu Dien (incorrect name) - Bui Huu Dien (correct name), Nguyen Chanh Sac (incorrect name) - Nguyen Chanh Sat (correct name), Pham Thi Hoi (incorrect name) - Phan Thi Hoi (correct name), Doan Minh Triet (incorrect name) - Doan Triet Minh (correct name)...

In addition, after the merger and operation of the two-level local government, Ho Chi Minh City also has some shortcomings in the naming of streets that need to be changed to suit the practical situation. Speaking at the conference, Dr. Truong Hoang Truong, lecturer at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities - Ho Chi Minh City National University, analyzed: “According to Decree 91, Clause 1, Article 10, Section 2 stipulates that streets and roads are named based on the selection of one of the following names: famous place names, meaningful and of typical historical and cultural value of the country or locality; place names that have been used since ancient times, deeply ingrained in the subconscious of the people; names of twinned localities or those with special relationships. It is proposed to add to this clause broader content about place names by taking the names of islands, mountains, rivers, and lakes of the country to name streets. Taking the names of islands, mountains, rivers, lakes, etc. to name streets has many benefits and great significance in terms of education and politics ”.

Nguyen Hue Street, a central street, has become a familiar name in outdoor activities in Ho Chi Minh City. It is also a large-scale and long-standing flower street in the city. Photo: DUNG PHUONG

Regarding the addition of regulations on managing duplicate street names after the merger, many delegates and experts attending the Conference agreed with the view: Many street names of famous historical figures chosen by provinces and cities can be kept the same after the merger as long as they are not in the same ward/commune, because changing them is very costly, and should only be changed in cases where the names are duplicated in the same ward/commune.

And in the context of national digital transformation and the current practice of managing the renaming of streets in Ho Chi Minh City, the management of the fund for street names, streets and public works needs to be digitized. Dr. Truong Hoang Truong further analyzed: “The new Decree can add regulations that localities need to have a database of street names and public works, integrated with GIS, and at the same time, it is necessary to establish an electronic information portal to publicize information and receive opinions from people. From there, agencies can manage interconnected urban areas (Open GIS), connecting WEBGIS street names with other systems, such as red book issuance - household registration - tax - postal system - emergency - fire fighting ...”.

According to Associate Professor, Dr. Ha Minh Hong, Vice President of the Ho Chi Minh City Historical Science Association, the city after the merger has 12 streets with the same name (initial statistics) such as: Phan Van Tri Street: Cho Quan Ward and An Dong Ward (old District 5); Tan My Street: Tan Thuan Ward and Tan My Ward (old District 7); Nguyen Thi Nho Street: Phu Tho Ward and Minh Phung Ward (old District 11); Ho Van Long Street: Binh Tan Ward and Tan Tao Ward (old Binh Tan District);...

Associate Professor, Dr. Ha Minh Hong shared: “We should not change the street name but keep it the same. Instead, the new street name needs to clearly identify the ward name, for example, Le Hong Phong Street - Cho Quan Ward, Le Hong Phong Street - Vung Tau Ward. When the ward and city names are correct, determining the address will be simple and convenient for people. It is possible to change duplicate street names if there is a convenient opportunity, such as when expanding roads, the street with the same name is expanded, extended or connected to another street, then a new name can be given to match the importance according to the new scale”.

Large-scale outdoor art programs with profound propaganda significance to the people are often held in the Nguyen Hue walking street area. Photo: DUNG PHUONG

Speaking at the conclusion of the Conference, Mr. Nguyen Minh Nhut, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture and Sports of Ho Chi Minh City, said: “The naming and renaming of streets, roads and public works in Ho Chi Minh City is of great interest and importance to leaders and management units. Because unlike many cities in the world, naming streets is based on the area numbering system (chome) combining district, ward, block and house number names. This is more about urban traffic operations, the arrangement of locations and naming of streets in Ho Chi Minh City also reflects the soul and marks the urban heritage. Each name has cultural and historical significance... Therefore, the naming and renaming of streets in Ho Chi Minh City today, especially after the merger, will focus on listening to people's opinions, to avoid changes and disruptions that affect people's lives. And listening to people's opinions, so that new street names or changes are in accordance with culture, history, marking and promoting the soul of the heritage worthy of this city".

RED SUNFLOWER

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/han-che-doi-ten-duong-de-tranh-gay-phien-ha-cho-nguoi-dan-post803300.html