Chinese Vice Premier Zeng Peiyan said on Sunday that the
development of digital networks to handle emergencies was an urgent
requirement for Beijing to become a modern metropolis.
Zeng made the call when visiting workers at the Urban Management
Bureau of Beijing.
"The new project is not only in the interests of the 15 million
Beijing residents, it will also aid the nation's overall
urbanization process," Zeng said.
According to a pilot scheme in use in Dongcheng District of
Beijing, its 25.38-square-km territory was divided into 1,593
cellular units similar to the way in which mobile phone networks
work. When an emergency concerning water, road or telecommunication
equipment occurs, the "patrol police" made up of community
volunteers can report to the system operator in real time, speeding
up response times.
Zeng said the system's high-efficiency operation model is just
what China needs as cities become bigger and more crowded and
render the traditional way of management as inefficient.
(Xinhua News Agency February 19, 2007)