Cableway demolition pits nostalgia against efficiency

The dismantling of China's first cross-river cableway has provoked debate on modern urban planning and the preservation of city symbols.

Dismantling of the Jialing River Cableway in Chongqing began on Dec 23, nearly three years after it was last used in early 2011.

"The cableway will be replaced by a new cross-river bridge, which will be more efficient," said Yang Bin, deputy general engineer of the Chongqing Architectural Design Institute.