Cyclists ride on a greenway in Hangzhou, capital of eastern China’s Zhejiang province. [Photo/ zj.zjol.com.cn]

Hangzhou plans to introduce or renovate 500 kilometers of greenway this year, officials from the Hangzhou construction committee recently said.

Officials said that Hangzhou will strengthen efforts this year to build more greenways for riding bikes, walking, and exercising.

Over the past year, the city has been making strong efforts to build more greenways and improve the city's natural and living environment. The city already has more than 3,300 kilometers of greenway surrounding rivers, lakes, and mountains.

On March 6, the Huyuan Lake greenway construction project in Fuyang district became the district's first online-bid construction project.

A total of 49 companies took part in bidding for the project, which was held online to avoid any gatherings during the outbreak of COVID-19. On March 12, construction on the project started.

The Shuangxi-Shilong section of the Huyuan Lake greenway will be 9.5 kilometers long and is expected to finish by the end of March, said Zhang Zhongfa, deputy Party secretary of Huyuan town.

The second phase of construction on the greenway will add another 8 kilometers and is expected to be completed by the end of May, Zhang added.

Construction on the Yangbei Lake greenway is currently progressing smoothly. The greenway is part of an ecological restoration project for Yangbei Lake, which started last September.

Officials from the greenway office of Fuyang district said that they hope to complete the long-anticipated project by the end of next year.