SHANGHAI'S urban planner yesterday began soliciting designs from around the world to develop the east bank of Huangpu River into a 21-kilometer-long "coherent public promenade." The east side of river bank between Yangpu and Xupu bridges is now interrupted by ferry docks, commercial buildings, restaurants and construction sites. Only 45 percent of it is open to the public, according to the official microblog account of the information office of the city government.

The government plans to open up the whole river bank by the end of next year and complete the major parts of the promenade by 2018.