City to enhance public services amid pandemic control, vows mayor

The city will spare no effort curbing the COVID-19 pandemic this year, while continuing to improve the quality of life of local residents, mayor Gong Zheng said in the government report at the opening plenary of the fifth session of the 15th Shanghai People's Congress on Sunday.

Since the outbreak of the pandemic, 1.9 million people have entered the country via Shanghai on 47,000 flights, according to the mayor.

This year, Shanghai will press ahead with the construction of five new towns in Jiading, Songjiang, Qingpu and Fengxian districts and Nanhui region in the Pudong New Area.

The government will support them to become home to key manufacturing projects with high-quality schools, hospitals and cultural and sports facilities as well as integrated traffic junctions, the mayor said.

Meanwhile, the government will push for the transition of Taopu, Nanda, Wusong, Gaoqiao and Wujing regions and the coastal area of Jinshan.

The city will also gather its pace in the development of the North Bund to forge a "golden triangle" of the Bund, Lujiazui and the North Bund, the mayor said.

To enhance services for elderly residents, the government plans to add 1,000 more elevators in existing residential buildings this year.

Also, the government aims to add 50 more comprehensive elderly care centers, 200 more dining stations, 5,000 more beds in elderly care homes, with 2,000 beds for seniors with cognitive impairment upgraded.

Also, 5,000 homes with senior residents are expected to be refurnished.

Last year, 52 more comprehensive elderly care centers, 212 more dining stations and 7,646 more beds in elderly care homes were added, with 2,320 beds for seniors with cognitive impairment upgraded, according to the mayor.

The government also aims to refit 700,000 square meters of old neighborhoods in central districts this year while upgrading 10 million square meters of old homes.

Also, 4,000 more public parking slots will be created around old neighborhoods and hospitals, with 10,000 public car charging places added.

This year, the government plans to move another 100 kilometers of overhead cables underground and install multifunctional traffic light poles along the way. A total of 124 kilometers cables were removed last year.

The city also expects to have 120 new parks and 200 kilometers of city green paths this year.