URUMQI, April 7 (Xinhua) -- The old city zone of Urumqi, capital of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, is undergoing a facelift.
The project, which began Thursday, covers some 173 square kilometers of six districts. With an investment of about 130 billion yuan (18.85 billion U.S. dollars), the program is expected to benefit some 1.6 million residents.
According to the renovation plan, improvements will be made on old neighborhoods and supporting municipal infrastructure, streets, environment and transportation.
Public service facilities, including those catering to different ethnic groups, will be upgraded.
Xie Min, deputy director of the project's headquarters, said upgrades of the downtown area's function will be combined with the protection of ethnic culture.
The original style of streets with cultural characteristics will be carefully protected, he said.
Mayla Toh, a resident of Tianshan District, has recently moved into a rental house to make way for the project. Like many of her neighbors, she will move back to new houses after the project.
She previously lived in a brick-concrete house without plumbing or heating facilities.
"The project will improve our living conditions, and also make the roads and greenery better," she said. "I'm looking forward to moving back to a new house."
