Time to get the 'zombies' off the streets
Putuo District has removed over 500 abandoned vehicles and over 10,000 obsolete bicycles from its communities since a clean-up campaign was launched in August.
These vehicles, dubbed “zombie cars” by residents, had long been abandoned but took up neighborhood parking spots. Some vehicles had even blocked fire trucks, posing safety risks, the district government said.
Officials from neighborhood committees issued warning notices and tried to contact car owners. When no one claimed the vehicles, many with deflated tires and covered in thick dusk, the subdistrict and township governments cooperated with the police to remove them. They are now in a compound, where their owners can claim them, police said.
District government officials will keep patrolling across the subdistricts and towns to detect more abandoned cars. Residents are encouraged to tip-off the authorities through the city’s comprehensive 12345 hotline.
It is one of five campaigns launched by the Putuo government to gear up for the first China International Import Expo in November as well as improve the environment and living condition of its residents before the National Day holidays next week.
Other campaigns include removing illegal advertisements, cracking down on unlicensed small businesses and removing items left in public areas.