Construction of all glass walkways in Beijing will be suspended, according to tourism officials in the capital. It remains unclear as to why the tourism board is choosing to implement this action. However, according to one official there are apparently no safety standards set in place to ensure the safety of these types of structures, Beijing Morning News reports.
This announcement might make Beijingers think twice about clambering along one of the city’s many glass structures.
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Glass walkways, bridges and viewing areas are all the rage in China right now. And the fact that many are placed on the edges of sheer cliffs or suspended over sky-high mountain ranges is definitely part of the appeal.
However, if these structures are in fact unsafe or are not being forced to comply with a specific set of safety standards, this could mean disaster.
According to Song Yu, the director of the Beijing Municipal Commission of Tourism Development, there is currently no entity responsible for ensuring the safety of the glass structures that are popping up in Beijing’s scenic areas on the outskirts of the city. So until the job is assigned and the role is defined, construction on all new walkways will be halted.
It remains unclear how this will impact the many super-popular glass structures that have already been built in Beijing. Song did say that Beijing-based facilities that already feature glass walkways and platforms will need to outline specific safety measures and clearly state how they will be implemented. However, it does not appear that these structures will be closed down. If we hear otherwise, we'll let you know.
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