SHANGHAI, March 4 (Xinhua) -- In the North Bund, Shanghai's landmark riverbank walk which features both old alleys and illuminated skyscrapers along the Huangpu River, community service workers are fighting hard in daily quarantine checks to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
In the century-old Yeguang community, a crisscross of alley lanes forms 21 entrance ways, making it difficult to carry out epidemic prevention measures for the 3,000 people living in courtyard houses in the cramped community.
"We have done a lot of work to reduce the number of entrances and exits to five in order to form a semi-closed management community while ensuring residents' passage," said Wang Hui, a community worker of the Yeguang residential committee.
In the North Bund area, there are 29 neighborhood communities like Yeguang with more than 14,800 households. Some houses in the old communities are empty and dilapidated.
Wang said there is a high risk of cross-infection in the old community, and many houses in the old alleys do not have independent toilets.
"We can't forbid people who are under quarantine at home to go out to toilets," she said.
"During the prevention and control of the epidemic, we have managed to get a clear picture of the condition of each house, and plan to turn some old houses and deserted workshops into low-rent apartments for drawing talents," said Li Jun, an official in the North Bund residential district.
He said based on the area's planned living capacity of 70,000 permanent residents, there is currently not enough public service space, for example for libraries and fitness facilities, which do not match the modern living demand.
By the riverside, there are top-grade office buildings including Sinar Mas Center, Raffles City of CapitaLand and Shanghai Landmark Center, which represent the city's high-quality working environment, attractive to foreign investors.
Luo Juan, director of the Shanghai Hongkou District Commission of Urban Management, said the North Bund will build a three-dimensional network with the interconnection of pedestrian overpasses, the ground level and the underground stories to make efficient use of space in the old communities while adding greenery and public service facilities.
The Hongkou District which administrates the North Bund area has seen 60 percent of the world's top 500 enterprises setting foot here. Since the start of this year, the district government has seen 10 billion yuan (1.44 billion U.S. dollars) worth investment projects introduced to the North Bund.
