Transforming urban villages to improve cities

The Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development has said that superlarge cities are actively and steadily promoting the transformation of urban villages, according to a report in Xinhua on Thursday.

Such transformations have always been a major challenge. Urban villages evoke a range of emotions among people. For many fresh graduates and migrant workers, this is their first place of residence in a big city, a place to settle down and work hard toward realizing their dreams. For the big city, it is also a manifestation of inclusivity and openness.

However, urban villages often have housing and fire safety hazards due to their outdated infrastructure and poor ventilation.

Urban villages often spring up in large cities, which is why they are often called causes of "big city diseases". When there is an accident, the losses are often huge, given how everything is jostling for space in the urban villages.

To ensure that urban villages do not become synonyms for "dirty and chaotic", accelerating their transformation is a must. However, given the difficulties with the resettlement of people and industries, the authorities cannot adopt a one-size-fits-all approach.

It is necessary to plan carefully. For example, it is necessary to seek the opinion of village inhabitants, relocate industries, properly resettle personnel, protect historical and cultural features, and pay proper compensation to the residents so that they are willing to support the project that concerns their core interest.

The entire process should be carried out in accordance with the law. The transformation of urban villages is essentially about breaking the current pattern of a small society and inevitably curbing the vested interests of some people. Only by coordinating various demands and resolving conflicts can the transformation proceed smoothly.