Hey there! Did you know that over half of the world’s people live in cities? ๐ฎ And some cities are HUGE! Beijing, for example, has over 21 million people. That’s like fitting the whole population of Australia into one city! ๐๏ธ
But big cities can have big problems. Imagine if something goes wrong, like a broken streetlight or a lost pet. Who would you call? In Beijing, they have a super cool solution: the 12345 Hotline! ๐
One Number to Rule Them All
Instead of having lots of different phone numbers for different problems, people in Beijing just dial 12345 anytime, day or night. ๐โ๏ธ This hotline is open 24/7 and helps solve problems quickly. They get about 60,000 calls every day! ๐ฒ
How Does It Work?
When someone calls, a friendly operator answers and writes down the issue. They pass it on to the right team in just one minute! ๐ Then, city workers hurry to fix the problem. Over the past six years, they’ve solved 97% of the 150 million problems reported! ๐
Using Data to Make Life Better
The hotline doesn’t just fix problemsโit also helps the city plan for the future. They look at all the calls (don’t worry, your personal info is safe ๐) to see what people need most. For example, they found that many elderly people needed help, so they opened 1,000 new care centers! ๐ต๐ด They also helped people with disabilities find jobs. ๐ช
Science to the Rescue!
Have you ever been bothered by loud noises when you’re trying to sleep? ๐ด In Beijing, people dancing with loud music in parks was a big issue. So, the community worked with scientists to create special speakers that only the dancers can hear! Now, everyone is happy. ๐๐
A Brighter Future for Cities
Beijing’s hotline shows how listening to people can make a city better. It’s like having a super helpful friend whoโs always there for you! ๐ซ Maybe someday, all big cities will have a magic number to call when you need help. Wouldn’t that be awesome? ๐
Reference(s):
CGTN's documentary reveals a Beijing solution to megacity governance
cgtn.com