Society

Beijing's 'ablest nail house' leveled

(chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2010-12-19 15:37

Vehicles detour the "nail house" which was demolished overnight on Friday. [Photo/Beijing Times]

Once dubbed "the ablest nail house in Beijing", a 283-sq-m house was fully cleared Saturday morning, nearly five years after demolition of the area's houses was started, the Beijing Times reported on Sunday.

The report said the owner of the house, Xu Jingming, gave up his fight on Friday and accepted compensation, the amount of which has not been disclosed.

The demolition of the single bungalow on Lincui Road outside the North Fifth Ring Road in Haidian district attracted a huge crowd, as it became prominent in blocking the regular traffic flow in rush hours for years.

"It's really great for us living in the north," a woman surnamed Sun who lives in Tiantongyuan community said. "It sure can be smooth on this road when I'm driving home through here after work."

The local district government started to remove houses in the area in 2006 for the planned south-north Lincui Road, while only the Xu family refused to accept the 1.8 million yuan ($270,453) compensation for his house or move away, asking for 5.8 million yuan ($871,460) instead.

"It's sad to leave my own house all of a sudden," said Xu. "I built it in 1991 with my hands, and finally I have to say goodbye."

The Xu family now lives in a flat of a nearby community on a monthly rent of 2,500 yuan after a 4-year struggle.

Workers prepare to clear the way to rebuild the Lincui Road. [Photo/Beijing Times]