According to the Hoang Mai District Project Management and Construction Board, by the end of 2023, the Tam Trinh road construction project has been approved for adjustment, with implementation time from 2016 to 2026, 7 years later than the previous plan. The total investment for the project is VND 3,354 billion, an increase of over VND 1,287 billion. Mai Dong market is one of the locations that need to be cleared immediately to serve the new approved project.
More than 300 small traders operating in the market received an “urgent” notice to evacuate from the market to make room for the project, and Mai Dong market had to stop operating before February 29, 2024. Traders here said that they recently imported a large quantity of goods to sell during and after Tet, so closing the market would affect their business.
Currently, the Mai Dong Market Management Board only opens one entrance for business households to clean up and move their goods. However, after closing the market, most traders here do not know where to go.
Mai Dong market announced its sudden closure on February 29, 2024.
The Mai Dong Market Management Board only opens one entrance for business households to clean up and move their goods.
Ms. Xuan (70 years old) has been trading clothes and shoes in Mai Dong market for 29 years. She said that she has been doing business since the establishment of the market but was caught off guard by the sudden closure. “On February 22, the Market Management Board announced that the market would be closed from February 29. Within 4 days, it is impossible to move all the goods, so I have to sell them at a cheap price. After the market is closed, I can only go home as I have nowhere else to sell,” Ms. Xuan shared.
Ms. Xuan (70 years old), one of the affected traders after the closure of Mai Dong market.
Ms. Dao Thi Kim Dung (65 years old) has been trading shoes in Mai Dong market for 28 years. She said that there are still 8 bags of new shoes in her warehouse with a value of VND 100 million, but she had to rush to sell them because of the sudden closure. “There are people who came to buy them at a clearance price of VND 15 million after hearing that the market would be closed, but they only paid VND 10 million the next day. There is no way to transfer the shoes anywhere, and I am afraid of losing them without security, so I have to sell them,” Ms. Dung shared.
“We are happy to relocate and hand over the premises for the road construction project, but it would be better to give us more time so that we can sell the remaining goods to others to minimize the losses. It’s really heartbreaking to lose hundreds of millions like this!” Ms. Dung expressed her frustration.
Some traders are still clinging to sell their remaining stock and make a little profit.
The scene inside the market after many stalls have been relocated.
The market’s alleys are no longer crowded and bustling with trading activities.
Some people are still staying, hoping to sell their remaining stock and make some profit.
“According to the plan, on February 29, the Market Management Board requested all shops to close. From February 22-24, some entrances were closed, on February 25, electricity and water supplies were cut off, leaving only one entrance. Within 4 days, it is impossible to do everything, there is no place to sit, and there are still remaining goods. The Market Management Board should have notified us 1-3 months in advance for better arrangement,” a food stall owner in Mai Dong market shared.
Traders here said that according to the plan, they will be relocated to Linh Nam market. However, most traders do not agree because Linh Nam market is a private market and not a traditional market, and it is far from their residential areas. Moreover, the market has been abandoned and deteriorated after years of construction.
“I am used to selling to noodle and pho shops around here. Now, if I move to Linh Nam market, which is 4-5km away, who will buy my goods?” a stall owner selling noodles and pho shared.
Some stalls selling fresh produce are still sticking around in Mai Dong market because they don’t know where to go.
The Mai Dong market has been operating since the mid-1990s, with over 300 small traders and now it is left abandoned after the sudden closure.
