Less than 200 days to go for the Olympic Games. The adrenalin is
pumping a bit faster, with every political advisor, lawmaker and
government official trying to get things right to the last detail.
The objective: to ensure a successful and high-quality Games.
Political advisors, lawmakers and government officials are
trying to get things right to the last detail as only less than 200
days to go for the Olympic Games.
More than 12 percent of the 1,188 proposals submitted by 729
members of the Beijing Municipal Committee (BMC) of the Chinese
People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) were related to
the Games. And they ranged from transport and toilets to culture
and entertainment.
Less cars on the road
Beijing will withdraw more than half of its 3 million cars from
the roads during the Olympics to ensure better air quality and
improve the flow of traffic, deputy director of Beijing Municipal
Committee of Communications Liu Xiaoming told a panel discussion at
the ongoing first session of the 11th BMC.
The traffic plans for the Olympics and Paralympics, to be held
in August and September, have been completed, Liu said.
Public transport will operate more efficiently and carry more
passengers during the Games, with 173 bus routes and special lanes
for Olympics-related vehicles. And more metro trains, some of which
will not stop at all stations, are likely to be introduced to deal
with passenger rush.
Also, the local government will stagger working hours and change
the timings for commercial businesses to ease traffic jams during
normal peak hours.
Public toilets
"Beijing has long been short of public toilet signs," Beijing
International City Development Research Institute President Lian
Yuming said. He suggested the city issue a brochure or a map of
public toilets and make toilet signs more prominent.
"We should have such signboards at every 500 meters in major
streets, and areas frequented by tourists. They should tell where
exactly a toilet is," Lian told a panel discussion.
Beijing Municipal Administration Commission Deputy Director Chai
Wenzhong said the public toilets at and near Olympic venues will be
ready before August.
Chai's department has just bought a number of high-quality
movable toilets. "They will be installed in places that are
generally frequented by a lot of people," especially
foreigners.
Train services
Head of Beijing Railway Station Bureau An Luqin said all
necessary measures will be taken to ensure order at Beijing's two
railway stations for long distance trains during the Games.
The department has already installed eight big elevators to help
passengers get in and out of the stations more easily.
"We are fully prepared to increase the number of trains whenever
the Beijing Olympic Committee (BOCOG) requests in order to ensure
athletes and spectators reach their destination cities on
time."
Sightseeing buses
Xiao Mingzheng, a member of China Democratic Promotion Party's
Beiing committee, suggested that special sightseeing routes be
provided for Olympic visitors. The existing transport facilities
for a visit to Olympic sites are not up to the mark.
"People have to either take taxis or buses, causing more traffic
jams. Moreover, traveling to these sites now takes a longer time,"
Xiao said. And many taxi drivers know little about the venues.
He suggested every passenger be ensured of a seat on a bus, and
that an automatic translation and illustration machine be installed
beside each seat.
26 cultural squares
BOCOG plans to set up 26 cultural squares in the city where
residents and visitors alike can watch the greatest sports event on
giant TV screens.
Big screens will be installed at the squares and will beam the
Olympic events live. Also, exhibitions and other Olympic-related
performances will be held at the squares.
People will have free access to these squares, which will be
open from June 23 to the end of the Paralympic Games in September,
director of the BOCOG's cultural activities department Zhao
Dongming said.
Peking Opera
Deputy director of the Beijing Revolutionary Committee of the
Chinese Kuomintang Li Aijun suggested holding Peking Opera
performances with English translations during the Games.
A Peking Opera lover herself, Li said translation services
should be provided to foreigners attending such shows to help them
better understand the nuances of Chinese culture.
"Many Peking Opera pieces have fixed lyrics, so we can
pre-record the English translations and play them during
performances," she said.
Chinese lanterns show
Head of Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture Jiang Gongmin said
the city will bring together a collection of Chinese lanterns from
provinces such as Fujian, Sichuan, Shanxi, Yunan and Guizhou to
organize lantern shows in order to create a special atmosphere
during the Games.
The department will also hold a number of other cultural events
at the Beijing Cultural Palace of Nationalities.
(China Daily January 24, 2008)