Hangzhou mulls 'air corridor' to disperse smog  

杭州研究“城市風道” 欲從錢塘江引風吹走灰霾

Baoshu Pagoda, one of Hangzhou's landmarks, is shrouded by smog on Oct. 27. (Photo source: file photo)

(ECNS) -- Hangzhou, capital city of east China's Zhejiang province, may build an "air corridor" to bring in wind from the suburbs and blow away smog in the inner city, according to the local Metropolitan Express.

The Hangzhou Municipal Bureau for Urban Planning and the Bureau for Environmental Protection said the duct would relieve the "urban heat island effect" in summer.

Experts said the huge numbers of high-rise buildings along the Qiangtang River have blocked southeastern winds from blowing toward the main urban area, causing pollution to be trapped.

An expert cited poor road planning as well, saying the city needs more east-west roads that flow with the wind's direction.

The planning bureau also said the city will build six "ecological corridors."

Urban ventilated corridors have been created in China before. Wuhan has six of them, which help lower the highest temperature in summer by one or two degrees Celsius.

Shanghai has built its 250-meter-wide Century Avenue in Pudong, to let wind flow through the district.