City hangs residents out to dry

By Yang Lifei  |   2008-6-13  |     ONLINE EDITION

RESIDENTS on 13 sightseeing streets were banned from hanging clothes out windows and drying them along sidewalks in a move officials' hope will boost Shanghai's image.

The ban covers major streets such as Nanjing Road and Beijing Road, according to an urban administration seminar held on Thursday. The ban is expected to spread to more downtown streets.

Officials consider the practice of drying clothes on sidewalks and outside windows an eyesore. They want to spruce up the city before World Expo 2010 by stopping such behavior by the end of this year.

Many downtown residents hang the wash out or use sidewalks because they live in small apartments. Residents often refer to the colorful clothes and quilts as the ``flags of all nations.''

Urban administration departments said more public areas to dry clothes would be set up in residential communities to offer residents more convenience.