Moscow authorities began eliminating the city's kiosks and stalls set up near streets with heavy automobile and pedestrian traffic in an effort to ease traffic problems.
Outdoor markets will also come under the ax after new Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin voiced his support on Monday for a campaign launched by his predecessor, Yury Luzhkov, to make trade in the capital more "civilized" by closing illegal markets.
Tents, booths and kiosks near major roads, subway entrances, bus stops and other transportation facilities in Moscow are to be eliminated first as they exacerbate an already difficult transportation situation in the city.
City authorities said that they will try to reach a compromise with vendors working in these areas.
In a speech prior to his inauguration, Sobyanin identified solving the city's transport problems as a key issue on his agenda.
Sobyanin put forward three strategies for solving Moscow's traffic problems: increasing the number of parking places, developing public transport, and road construction.
Luzhkov closed most of Moscow's 80 large clothes markets in a bid to tackle illegal trade in the capital. The city's largest market, Cherkizovsky, notorious for hosting illegal immigrants and selling contraband goods, was closed in July 2009.
Moscow's chief architect, Alexander Kuzmin, said on Monday that the city development plan until 2025 did not envisage the existence of markets and stalls.
It is not clear if the city's food, clothing and furniture markets will also be closed.
MOSCOW, November 3 (RIA Novosti)
