MULTIPLE government departments in Futian District have been making joint efforts to dismantle illegal constructions with potential safety hazards in Futian Flower World near Central Park since Nov. 17, sznews.com reported.

    Futian Flower World has long been a well-known destination for Shenzhen residents to buy flowers and pets. However, after a fire broke out Oct. 20 this year potential safety hazards within illegal constructions there were revealed.

    Three shops were burnt down and an area of 400 square meters was burnt, but there were no casualties.

    As a popular site, Futian Flower World covers a floor area of 236,000 square meters and accommodates over 600 shops. But the place has become more “diversified” in the past 10 years, with more different types of businesses and merchants moving in. Restaurants, advertising companies, clubs and the like gradually appeared, many of which were unregistered and illegal.

    From images shot by a drone manipulated by sznews.com, aged, chaotically installed electrical wires can be seen. There is also an insufficient amount of firefighting equipment and the narrow fire engine access could also be a safety hazard.

    Thus, it appears to be a major concern for local government, and makes regulating the structures at Flower World an urgent matter.

    According to the Futian government, the focus of this demolition project was on those stores and shops selling products other than plants and creating safety risks.

    So far, the area in which the illegal buildings were removed has reached 14,000 square meters and 77 structures have been demolished. The Futian government plans to finish the demolition project by the end of this year.

    While the illegal buildings will be demolished, the shops selling plants and pets which are free from safety risks can still be operated within their contract term.

    During the upcoming Chinese New Year, the flower market in Flower World will remain open as usual.

    As for the shop owners whose buildings are to be dismantled, some of them have expressed their wishes for a longer grace period that would provide them with enough time to look for other suitable locations in order to reduce their losses.

    Some residents who had frequently visited the market wished that Flower World would be rebuilt after the renovation in order to preserve the place of their precious memories.

    (Zhang Qian, Liu Shiyang)