The Hoan Kiem District Party Committee on August 20 asked the district People's Committee to cancel the plan to pave 11 Old Quarter pedestrianised streets with natural stones.
After the assessment of the infrastructure in the Old Quarter and the budget, the proposal's feasibility was rejected, local media reported.
The plan was a good idea to promote the value of pedestrianised streets but it was not feasible, the District Party Committee said.
The District People's Committee has been asked to collect the opinion of local authorities, scientists and residents to prepare a feasible plan to carry out urban infrastructure projects in the Old Quarter.
Earlier, the People's Committee had sought the approval of the Hanoi People's Committee for paving 11 pedestrianised streets with natural stones, instead of cement bricks.
The streets are Hang Ngang, Hang Dao, Hang Duong and Dong Xuan, as well as Hang Giay, Hang Buom, Luong Ngoc Quyen and Hang Giay, besides Dao Duy Tu, Ta Hien and Ma May.
The plan aims to improve the streets and make them easier to navigate for tourists and the local people.
But the authorities had not sought the local people's opinion about the plan, the residents of the Old Quarter said.
In 2011, a stretch of Ta Hien street was paved with natural stones on a trial basis, but it did not work.
The stone-paved stretch became wet and slippery when it rained, causing traffic accidents, and there were no gutters, only drainage holes, according to residents of Ta Hien street.-VNA