Urumqi is demonstrating how thoughtful urban management can transform a city's character. From the nostalgic revival of an iconic bus stop to the deployment of AI-powered patrol vehicles, the city is weaving together heritage, technology, and community input to create a more livable and intelligent environment.

On August 25-26, the fourth "10+N" City Management Directors' Joint Meeting was held in Urumqi, drawing urban construction experts and industry leaders. Attendees toured model projects showcasing micro-renewal of neighborhoods, integrated city operation management, AI-powered urban patrols, and market-driven governance, highlighting a new model of refined, digitally empowered, and participatory city management.

Micro-Renovations Bring New Life and Warmth to Old Districts

At the retro bus stop on Youhao North Road, tourists eagerly snap photos with the light-projection wall and a life-sized replica of an old bus. The familiar melody of "The No. 2 Bus Stopping at Building 8" evokes cherished memories of the city for many. This themed installation recreates the iconic scene from the famous song. "Building 8" refers to the Xinjiang Kunlun Hotel, which, when completed in 1959, was Urumqi's tallest structure at eight stories. The song made it a beloved cultural landmark, and now, a meticulous micro-renewal project has introduced eight new photo-worthy spots, including the light wall, retro bus models, and a "Building 8 Music Box," revitalizing the old landmark.

Beyond the aesthetic upgrades, public amenities have also been enhanced. A new smart public restroom with robotic cleaning, individual stalls, and real-time air quality monitors addresses the needs of the bustling commercial and tourist area. This project not only revitalizes idle space but also blends cultural preservation with daily convenience, integrating tourism experiences, small businesses, and essential services.

Jiang Zhaoping, deputy director of the Rongchang District Urban Management Bureau in Chongqing, praised the project, saying, "This micro-renewal showcases the meticulous effort in urban management. It cleverly integrates commercial activities and public services, balancing aesthetics with functionality, and truly embodies the principle of 'small changes, big benefits for people.'" Similar subtle transformations are emerging across the city, from a cute snow leopard mural on a pedestrian bridge to vibrant Atlas silk patterns adorning old walls, and the "Silk Road Flower Language" district in Tianshan District with its ribbon installations, floral displays, and pomegranate sculptures.

Professor Ding Jianhua from Northeastern University observed, "These small spaces are often the 'golden corners' left from rapid urban development. Through refined governance, these fragmented areas are being optimized to provide nearby services and achieve precise management."

Digital Hub Centralizes Control and Boosts Efficiency

The observation group then visited the Urumqi Urban Operation Management Center to witness the shift from manual inspection to digital analysis. The 380-square-meter command hall integrates over 20 industry information systems and 200 data resources. A large screen displays real-time status of urban lifelines—gas pipelines, heating systems, road conditions, and bridge facilities—providing a unified view of city operations.

Engineer Dong Yue explained that the city's lifeline monitoring platform, launched in March, aggregates basic and real-time operational data. It enables routine monitoring, risk alerts, and rapid response for gas, heating, and infrastructure. The "Suiban·Qixinban" app allows citizens to report issues with photos, which are automatically assigned and tracked until resolution. The platform has already mapped over 4,000 kilometers of heating pipelines and established a dynamic database, enabling one-click dispatch for heating adjustments. During the 2025-2026 heating season, Urumqi saw a 20% reduction in heating-related complaints through the city's 12345 hotline thanks to this streamlined system.

Smart governance is also reaching district levels. Chen Yong, general manager of CETC's Wusheng Tongxin Xinjiang branch, noted that the Economic and Technological Development Zone has retrofitted over 20,000 streetlights with LED fixtures and individual smart controls. These lights automatically adjust brightness based on time, location, and traffic, feature leakage detection for safety, and have achieved a 50% energy savings, cutting annual electricity use by over 10 million kWh. Each light has a digital profile with real-time operational and maintenance records, enabling second-level fault alerts. AI-equipped patrol vehicles routinely scan for damaged poles or faulty lights, shifting from reactive to proactive maintenance. A QR code on each pole allows citizens to report issues directly, and the platform is designed to expand to roads, bridges, and water systems in the future.

Sun Shutong, a senior engineer at CAUPD Beijing, commented, "This visit is very insightful. Urumqi can further integrate smart network interfaces, deepen the connection between digital platforms and grassroots governance, and improve response mechanisms at the community level."

Technology Reaches the Grassroots, Fostering Multi-Party Collaboration

While the "city brain" handles overall coordination, smart devices and market forces are embedded in the city's neighborhoods. Shuimogou District has brought in professional operators to integrate AI patrols and IoT sensors into daily street management, creating a comprehensive grassroots governance system.

At the Chuangbo Zhigu Industrial Park on August 25, staff used handheld terminals to control an AI patrol vehicle, viewing real-time surveillance feeds. The "Lingshi" smart patrol car, equipped with 24 types of AI algorithms for urban inspection, roams through Nanhu South Road, Nanhu North Road, and Xinmin Road, automatically identifying issues like sanitation problems or damaged facilities. It captures evidence, generates work orders, and dispatches them to the appropriate teams. Fu Yan, project manager at Urumqi Bowan Smart City Operation Management Co., explained that the entire process—from detection to resolution—is automated, with command centers using staff e-tags to dispatch the nearest available personnel, significantly reducing response times.

Data shows the AI patrol cars achieve over 98% accuracy in problem identification and reduce average response times by 50% compared to manual methods, addressing gaps in coverage and oversight. Currently, all three sub-districts' old residential areas, main roads, waste collection points, public toilets, and transfer stations are integrated into the dispatch system. Hundreds of smart trash bins monitor their fill levels in real-time, automatically alerting for collection when full.

Urumqi is adopting a "technology-enabled, human-supplemented" approach, establishing a dual system of AI and manual inspections to ensure faster detection and more precise resolution of urban issues. This combination of meticulous refinement, digital empowerment, and multi-stakeholder participation is making the city more orderly and life more convenient for its residents.