Zhengzhou issues clarification on details of river project

Zhengzhou officials clarified the facts behind a high-profile online rumor on Monday regarding the spending of 3.4 billion yuan ($470 million) on marble tiles for the city's 22-kilometer Jinshui riverway.

On Thursday, the topic of the sum created quite a buzz on social media. Many questioned the necessity of putting marble tiles on the whole river course and wondered if there was corruption in the project.

However, the 3.4 billion yuan is the total investment for the comprehensive rehabilitation of the river course, which began in June 2020. This includes improving its ability to divert floodwaters during heavy rainfall, upgrading its infrastructure and restoring its ecological environment, according to a notification issued by the Zhengzhou bureau of urban and rural construction.

It added marble tiles will mainly be used on river banks near sidewalks along the river stretching for 10.8 kilometers and covering an area of 26,800 square meters.

There are similar river banks with marble tiles in other cities, it said, and added the total cost for this aspect of the project is about 6.5 million yuan.

The contractor of the project, Huadong Engineering Corporation Limited, was selected through open tendering, and when the project is finished at the end of the year, the river will be able to withstand major floods and may also provide spaces for leisure activities.