Yinchuan

 A utility tunnel is an underground tunnel space in a city that integrates various engineering pipelines such as electricity, communications, gas, heating, water supply and drainage, and is equipped with special inspection ports, lifting ports, and monitoring systems. It implements unified planning, unified design, unified construction, and unified management. Utility tunnels are hailed as an important infrastructure and "lifeline" for ensuring urban operation.

 It is understood that before 2015, only a few cities in China, such as Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Suzhou, and Shenyang, had built utility tunnels. In August 2015, the General Office of the State Council issued the "Guiding Opinions on Promoting the Construction of Urban Underground Utility Tunnels", pointing out that by 2020, a batch of underground utility tunnels with international advanced levels should be built and put into operation, and the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development launched the central financial support pilot work for underground utility tunnels.

 As early as 2014, Yinchuan began preparations for the construction of urban utility tunnels, successively issuing policy documents such as the guiding opinions on promoting the PPP construction model to accelerate the construction of underground utility tunnels and the management measures for underground utility tunnels. Subsequently, it compiled the Yinchuan urban underground space development and utilization plan, the 2016-2030 special plan for underground utility tunnel construction and technical guidelines, etc., forming an overall layout of utility tunnels featuring "considering both new and old, linking lines to areas, four horizontal and four vertical, and combining trunk and branch lines", and carried out a general survey of underground pipelines to prepare for the implementation of tunnel projects.

 To ensure the smooth implementation of tunnel projects, Yinchuan actively explored diversified and market-oriented tunnel construction and management, established a state-owned investment and financing platform composed of Tonglian Capital, Emerging Industry Capital, etc., and 13 industrial funds, and in accordance with the PPP model, the municipal government authorized the tunnel company and social capital to contribute proportionally to establish a project company to carry out the construction and operation of tunnels.

 "After Yinchuan was listed as a national pilot city, it will invest 3.764 billion yuan to start a 39.12-kilometer utility tunnel project this year, complete all 10 pilot projects by the end of 2017, and put them into operation in 2018, with a service life of 100 years. Yinchuan will explore and form experience in underground utility tunnel construction that can be replicated and promoted in the northwest region," introduced the head of the Autonomous Region Housing and Urban-Rural Development Department.

 According to the relevant head of the Yinchuan Housing and Urban-Rural Development Bureau, Yinchuan will coordinate the promotion of utility tunnel construction pilots in conjunction with the ongoing old city renovation and new area construction, mainly building 10 tunnels: Baohu Road (Qinshui Street - Tongda Street), Shenyang Road (Xinnan Road - Qinshui Street), Wanshou Street (Yuehai Road - Harbin Road), Harbin Road (Zhengyuan North Street - Qinshui Street), Huaiyuan Road (Ningshuo Street - Xingzhou Street), Ningshuo Street (Helan Mountain Road - Huaiyuan Road), Changhe Street (Yuantong Road/S203), Mancheng Street (Shenyang Road - Baohu Road), Baohu Road (Tongda Street - Fengxiang Street), Fengxiang Street (Baohu Road - No. 13 Road), which will incorporate all pipelines within the road scope. The pilot area accounts for 38% of the existing built-up area of 143 square kilometers in the three central districts of Yinchuan.

 "Yinchuan will rely on the strong technical support of Smart Yinchuan's 'one network, one map, one cloud' to establish a smart utility tunnel big data system, and build the underground utility tunnel project into a 'model project' of infrastructure with intelligent control, management, and operation in China," introduced the head of the Yinchuan Housing and Urban-Rural Development Bureau. "In the past, pipelines were buried underground. Once a leak or damage occurred, we could only estimate a range and rely on a large number of workers to check one by one. After the utility tunnel is in operation, comprehensive digital management can be achieved. Wherever there is a problem, it can be clearly seen in the control room, and workers can be quickly dispatched for maintenance, ensuring the efficient and normal operation of the tunnel."

  Guyuan

 More than half of the urban area will become "sponge"

 What is a "sponge city"? Sponge city is a metaphor for a city that can absorb, store, infiltrate, and purify rainwater like a sponge when it rains, replenish groundwater, and regulate the water cycle; during droughts and water shortages, it "releases" the stored water and utilizes it, thereby making the migration of water in the city more "natural". Sponge cities have good "elasticity" in adapting to environmental changes and responding to natural disasters.

Due to the lack of water resources, Guyuan's concept of water conservation is "deeply rooted".

In 2014, Guyuan adopted various technical measures such as rainwater storage units, permeable paving, ecological parking lots, and sunken green spaces in the 2-square-kilometer Guyan West Road area to fully utilize rainwater resources and control initial rainwater pollution. In 2015, Guyuan launched the sponge city construction in the Southwest New Area, with a planned implementation area of 1.54 million square meters. Currently, preliminary work such as construction drawing design has been completed, and projects such as Jiulong Park and Xingcheng Road have started construction.

"The special plan for sponge city construction in Guyuan determines the old city area as a sponge restoration and improvement area, the Southwest New Area as a sponge optimization and enhancement area, the new area as a sponge renewal and construction area, and the Western New Area as a sponge long-term expansion area. The pilot area is mainly concentrated in the old city area and the Southwest New Area," introduced the head of the Guyuan Housing and Urban-Rural Development Bureau. After being listed as a pilot city, Guyuan will invest 3.554 billion yuan to comprehensively carry out sponge city construction within 23 square kilometers. After completion, it will account for more than 50% of the total built-up area, achieving the construction effect of "no water accumulation in light rain, no waterlogging in heavy rain, no black and odorous water bodies, and alleviation of heat island effect".

"To build a sponge city, there must be 'sponge bodies'. Urban 'sponge bodies' include not only water systems such as rivers, lakes, and ponds, but also urban supporting facilities such as green spaces, gardens, and permeable pavements," introduced the head of the Autonomous Region Housing and Urban-Rural Development Department.

The reporter learned that all pilot projects in Guyuan are in PPP mode. Social capital and the government-authorized investment representative will establish a PPP project company in accordance with a certain equity ratio. The project company will be responsible for the design, financing, construction, and operation of the Guyuan sponge city during the PPP cooperation period. The cooperation period is 15 years (including 2 years of construction period). Upon expiration of the cooperation period, the project will be transferred to the government or its designated agency without compensation.

"After these pilot projects are completed, they will greatly alleviate the water resource shortage in Guyuan, saving about 400,000 cubic meters of water annually, replenishing about 2.6 million cubic meters of groundwater, and reducing suspended solids emissions by 900 tons," introduced the head of the Guyuan Housing and Urban-Rural Development Bureau. Guyuan will spend three years exploring and forming experience in sponge city construction in the arid and semi-arid loess plateau region, providing demonstration and guidance for sponge city construction in the autonomous region, and also providing experience for reference to similar regions across the country.