Beijing’s image must be capital

Huge crowds, long waits to get through security checks, and great difficulty getting a taxi, along with the rampant operation of unlicensed ones — these are what passengers have complained about most after suffering unpleasant experiences at Beijing South Railway Station.

As the capital’s largest railway station and one of the biggest in Asia, the station was once hailed as a symbol of China’s ultramodern transport system — with seamless transit and people-oriented services — when it was completed nearly 10 years ago prior to the Beijing Olympic Games. Yet recent media reports about the chaotic scenes and its mismanagement have once again exposed the ugly side behind the stylish architecture.

It is not the first time that its poor management has been brought into the spotlight. There have long been reports of how unlicensed cabdrivers, in collusion with station employees, charge passengers 10 times the normal fare. Yet sadly the situation has gone unchecked, and it has steadily been getting worse.

Some have suggested Beijing look at cities in the south of the country for a solution, as they are known for paying more attention to their management and services. Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station, for example, is smaller than Beijing South yet each day it handles more passengers smoothly, and does a good job of crowd control and taxi management.

To be fair, the situation at Beijing South may not be the worst when it comes to management and supervision. There are many reports about how people are ripped off by taxi drivers at the Capital International Airport or at the city’s tourist sites.

The increasing number of complaints mean the authorities face rising pressure to improve their management and service skills. To achieve that, they have to uphold the “people-oriented” principle and explore a city management mode that centers on making people’s lives more convenient.

The authorities should better coordinate with different departments and enhance law enforcement to fix the problems. For example, the subway service hours can be extended from the current 11 pm to cope with the many high-speed trains still arriving after that time, and more bus lines can be added to make up for a shortage of taxis at night. Apart from cracking down on “black cabs”, some have suggested setting up pickup bays for those who want to use online car-sharing services.

Hopefully, Beijing can improve its management to live up to people’s image of the capital as a modern city.

— HUANG XIANGYANG, CHINA DAILY