New Lhasa to Appear in 15 YearsA new Lhasa dotted with towering buildings and dwelling houses in a distinct Tibetan style is expected to take shape over the next 15 years.This capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, will expand its urban district from the present 51 sq km to 72 sq km by 2015, said Danba Qoida, director of the Lhasa City Urban Planning Committee. The new urban district will be divided into four parts, focusing on the development of administration, finance and commerce, culture and education, sightseeing and living, respectively. A second bridge across the Lhasa River is to link the city proper. In an effort to protect the atmosphere of this religious and cultural center, the height of buildings around the Potala Palace and major lamaseries will be limited. Lhasa, built in the seventh century, is the political, religious and cultural center of Tibet. The city's area was no more than three sq km just half a century ago. Since the peaceful liberation of Tibet in 1951, Lhasa has invested 5.2 billion yuan in its infrastructure construction. The average living space of urban dwellers has expanded to 22 sq m. |
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