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Lhasa's old neighborhoods to be better protected (3)

(People's Daily Online)

17:07, May 17, 2013

The Potala Palace to limit tourist numbers during peak season, and the Barkhor Street to become less commercial

In recent years, Tibet tourism is becoming more and more popular. In 2012, tourists exceeded 10 million, with total tourism revenue reaching 12.6 billion yuan. As an important tourist city in Tibet, is Lhasa suffering from excessive commercial exploitation?

Lhasa pays attention to the protection of cultural relics in the construction and planning, and prevents over-exploitation. For the protection of key cultural relics in the Old City, the central government and the government of the Tibet Autonomous Region made a total investment of more than 300 million yuan for the implementation of the nine key cultural relics protection projects, among which six were completed in the first half of this year, and two will be completed by the end of the year. The Jokhang Temple murals protection project is expected to be completed in 2014.

Take the Potala Palace for example. It will limit daily tourist number on the basis of its capacity. Protection and repair works of the Potala Palace have been carried out several times. "Now, the daily reception capacity of the Potala Palace is about 2,600 people,” a Potala Palace fire brigade member said.

"The Old City is densely populated, gathering almost all the functions such as living, pilgrims, residential, commercial, tourism, education and others. To straighten out the management system of the Old City and to enhance the protection level is imperative."

Qi Zhala, member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Tibet Autonomous Region Committee and Party Secretary of Lhasa said that the protection project will make Barkhor Street a living place, destination for the masses of believers and pilgrims, and high-end tourist destination, while downplaying its commercial function.

The reporter asked several merchants on the Barkhor Street about the rumor that there will be a "Barkhor Mall", and they were not sure about it. Merchant Yi Su said, "The Barkhor Mall will certainly not be on the Barkhor Street, not to mention the construction of underground garage there, because it is not allowed to destroy that place." As for "tearing down the Barkhor Street” which is mentioned in microblog, Yi Su said the rumor very funny.

Later, reporter found the Barkhor Mall that is under construction two kilometers from the Barkhor Street. It stands on the original site of Chengguan district government building. Here belongs to the old town, but not in Barkhor Street Historic District with the Jokhang Temple as the core.

Deputy Director of the Barkhor Street Management Committee Cao Pengcheng told the reporter, "The mall is 800 meters from Chongsaikang Market, 1,800 meters from the Jokhang Temple, and the surrounding area has historically been the commercial center. The original site of Chengguan district government building is not a historic building."

“The old office building was probably built in 1991 or 1992, and the building facing the street was built after March 14, 2008," Hou Fei, deputy director of Chengguan District office, confirmed to the reporter.

Edited and Translated by Yao Chun, Zhang Qian and Huang Beibei, People's Daily Online
Read the Chinese version: 拉萨老城“大拆大建”不实, source: People's Daily, author: Han Junjie


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