As night falls, the Xinsha Night Market and Civic Square Night Market in Xinqiao Subdistrict are bustling with life. Beneath the glowing lights, food stalls are neatly lined up, wafting with tempting aromas. Residents stroll leisurely and savor delicacies here, presenting a scene of peace and joy. Not long ago, however, this area was a major trouble spot plagued by unlicensed street vendors occupying roads for business, severe traffic congestion and cooking fumes disturbing local residents. A governance reform featuring a combination of diversion and regulation has driven the area to transform itself from a shabby, messy and poor environment into a clean, neat and high-quality one.
To thoroughly solve the problem of road occupation for business, the Comprehensive Administrative Law Enforcement Team of Xinqiao Subdistrict has shifted its working mindset, moving from post-event law enforcement to proactive front-end services. Based on an accurate response to residents’ demands and drawing on the successful experience of the existing Xinqiao Night Market diversion zone, the team has joined hands with communities, the Traffic Safety Committee Office and other stakeholders to add two new night market diversion zones around Shangchong Road and Civic Square, turning the chaotic “street stalls” into well-regulated and orderly bustling markets full of life.
In the planning phase, the law enforcement team guided communities to cooperate with Beijing Enterprises Environmental Sanitation Group. After multiple rounds of on-site surveys and soliciting opinions through residents’ councils, it was finally decided to build the Xinsha Night Market on the south side of Shangchong Road with 182 stalls allocated. Taking into account the dense pedestrian flow at Civic Square, a convenient consumption circle integrating dining and shopping was planned and constructed there with 209 stalls arranged. Meanwhile, coordination was made with the Traffic Safety Committee Office, traffic police squadron and other departments to clear abandoned vehicles on the premises, renovate and add dedicated parking areas for motor vehicles and non-motor vehicles, thus alleviating parking pressure from the source.
To ensure standardized operation, the communities have taken the lead in formulating implementation plans and management systems, defining business hours and scopes, assigning dedicated personnel for daily management and regular cleaning, and promoting vendors to operate with valid certificates and realize full-process supervision of food safety. The law enforcement team, together with the communities, has actively carried out publicity and guidance to encourage unlicensed street vendors to operate within the designated zones. For peak evening hours and holidays, joint staggered-shift law enforcement and fixed-point duty have been carried out with urban management and traffic police departments to severely crack down on road occupation behaviors outside the diversion zones. Dedicated patrol personnel are also assigned to strictly prohibit street vending outside the designated areas, consolidating the achievements of urban landscape improvement.
At present, the two newly added diversion zones have achieved initial positive results: 147 vendors have settled in Xinsha Night Market and 174 in Civic Square Night Market. The urban order in the surrounding areas has been significantly improved, with unobstructed sidewalks, enhanced traffic efficiency and zero relevant complaints received. Unlicensed street vendors now have fixed business premises, residents’ demands for leisure and consumption are satisfied, and the vibrant liveliness of the city coexists harmoniously with the civilized temperament of the urban life.