City maps this year's improvement plans

The city government will ensure e-bike charging facilities are built in 700 residential complexes this year.

This is one of the 28 items on this year's list of quality of life improvement projects, focused on the most complained about problems, safety and order, and developing rural areas.

Modifications to old gas pipes in residential complexes will benefit 100,000 households.

In downtown districts, 100 taxi waiting points will open and information boards at bus stops will be improved.

Fire-fighting equipment will be installed in 100 old residential complexes and in 150 apartment buildings and former government housing blocks.

Ten new first aid stations with ambulances will improve emergency services. In the past three years, 32 such stations were built. Residents will find "smart health huts" in their communities where they can use technology to get medical advice.

There will be 500 more intelligent "wet markets," featuring vending machines. About 1,500 already serve nearly 1 million households.

Another 40,000 domestic helpers will be trained, following 55,000 last year.

Last year, 54 traffic congestion sites were eliminated and 159 shared parking projects created. Another 50 congestion sites will be targeted and 100 parking projects organized. Frequent flooding of 11 downtown streets will be addressed.

By 2020, there will be 100 more jogging and walking paths. Last year, 89 were built. At least 60 public sports fields will be built or renovated and 300 community sports sites completed.

Another 200 kilometers of greenway is planned in riverside developments, ecological corridors and countryside parks.

To provide better services for seniors, another 7,000 beds will be made available in care homes and with 1,000 beds for those with cognitive disorders. At least 80 senior day centers, 400 community service centers and 200 community canteens will appear, with 80 rural care homes in rural areas will be renovated. By 2020, the city will have at least 400 community service centers, according to the city civil affairs bureau.

The number of people aged 60 or above reached 4.8 million in the city at the end of 2017, 33.2 percent of permanent residents, and an increasing number of seniors cannot take care of themselves, of whom a large proportion have cognitive disorders. Those 200,000 bring a new challenge to the city's senior care system. Care homes with areas for this group will be subsidized under a new guideline on seniors with dementia, the bureau said.

For busy parents with elementary school children, the "love summer care" camp run by the city Youth League for five years will be expanded to 550 classrooms. Also, 50 more spots for parents to drop their young kids for care will be added.

For outdoor workers including sanitation workers, deliverymen and taxi drivers, there are now 200 relay stations offering rest places, and by the end of this year there will be 200 more, providing more services.

To address unemployment, 8,000 young people will be helped to find jobs or start their own businesses.

There will be training for 10,000 rural residents and 80,000 rural households will get better sewage facilities.