Digital policing tools successful in cutting construction noise and dust
An urban management and law enforcement official displays a real-time noise monitoring reading on his smart terminal.
Officials inspect a construction site in Fengxian.
Shanghai authorities have adopted a digital approach in stepping up their crackdown against irregularities at construction sites, officials said on Friday.
Using these enhanced methods they have busted 347 cases involving construction site violations this year, the Shanghai Urban Management and Law Enforcement Bureau revealed on Friday.
As a result, complaints about building construction at night and flying dust pollution are down 15.6 percent from the same period last year,
In Fengxian District, "cloud patrols" are undertaken by officials who monitor via a big screen the real-time construction scene at about 70 sites.
Within minutes, officials rushed to the scene after spotting irregularities at a construction site on Friday morning, putting into practice their digital law enforcement.
"It is not easy to collect proof of violations involving night construction and flying dust pollution via traditional law enforcement means, which solely rely on patrols by inspectors," said Wu Qiang, director of Fengxian District Urban Management and Law Enforcement Bureau.
"The loopholes can be well offset by the 'cloud patrols'," Wu added.
Officials inspect activity at a construction site.
The big screen technology monitors real-time activity on construction sites.
Officials order rectification at a construction site after spotting irregularities via remote monitoring.
High-definition video surveillance cameras have been installed at the entrances and exits of construction sites and locations where busy construction is being done.
These enable officials to do round-the-clock monitoring of night construction, storage of building materials, cleaning of vehicles, and to measure the dust element, according to Wu.
"Targeting the noise of construction sites that disturbs residents, the smart noise and dust monitoring system has been installed at all sites in the district, and officials are able to conduct real-time monitoring for efficiency via cell phones."
The district has also developed a smart analysis system for violations linked to the transportation of construction waste. It can analyze violations such as unlicensed carrying and abnormal transportation routes.
The Shanghai Urban Management and Law Enforcement Bureau said the intelligent mode applied in Fengxian will be promoted citywide to curb violations on construction sites.
City authorities have received about 3,800 complaints about night construction and flying dust pollution this year.
The bureau said construction sites failing to cooperate with inspections and law enforcement, or making rectification will be blacklisted on the city's public credibility platform.
