City transportation authorities have launched a massive drive to replace decaying and mismatched bus-dispatching booths in Shanghai downtown areas.

New bus booths are just one aspect of the municipal government's campaign to give the city a makeover in preparation for the upcoming summit of the "Shanghai Five" and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation conference.

The sleek, steel and plastic bus-dispatching booths will be placed at 50 stops running through major downtown roads and sightseeing areas, said Lu Gaosheng, a spokesman for the Shanghai Public Trans-port Administration Department.

The booths, which cost about 20,000 yuan (US$2,410) each, will be used to sell tickets and arrange bus schedules according to the traffic pattern.

The tab for the project, scheduled to be completed in June, is expected to be more than 1 million yuan.

On Saturday, 13 municipal government departments hailed the city's makeover to greet international VIPs scheduled to arrive here in June and October and pledged their support.

So far 15 hotels, 39 tourist attractions, 150 roads, as well as wharves and airports, are scheduled to get a face-lift.

On Sunday, a team was organized to clean up the rivers and banks running through the city to ensure no trash is found there at any time, according to an announcement.

Other cleanup plans include:

*Tearing down 106,000 square meters of dilapidated buildings and those in the path of urban renewal.

* Assigning 24-hour crews to clean and maintain key tourist areas, including the Yuyuan Garden area and the Bund.

* A horticulture plan asking city businesses and government groups to assist in cleaning the city's green areas.

*Mobilizing institutions along the city's elevated Inner Ring Road to assist in cleaning and maintaining greenery alongside roads.

(Eastday.com 04/03/2001)