Beijing to build dormitories for migrant workers

Dormitories equipped with public cafeterias will be built to meet the basic needs of migrant workers in Daxing district of Beijing, Wang Youguo, the district chief, told Beijing Youth Daily on Friday.

The plan aims to offer affordable and safe accommodation for migrant workers, many of whom used to rent cheap rooms in buildings simultaneously used for storage, production and housing.

The workers' fundamental requirements, such as private toilets, will be taken into consideration and included in the dorm buildings. But to safeguard against fires, tenants will not be allowed to cook in the dorms.

The new residential dormitories will be built in Xinjianercun, in the southern part of Daxing district, where, last year, a deadly blaze ripped through a three-story building, claiming 19 lives.

"Our target is not to expel people from Beijing. Our mission is to let people live safely and happily here with a greater sense of fulfillment," said Wang.

Zhang Zhaoqing contributed to this story.