A total of 1,697 construction sites across Ningbo resumes operations as of Feb 23. [Photo/cnnb.com.cn]

Machines are operating again at construction sites throughout Ningbo, East China's Zhejiang province, following a prolonged holiday due to the novel coronavirus pneumonia outbreak.

Official statistics from the Ningbo Municipal Bureau of Housing and Urban-Rural Development show that a total of 1,375 construction enterprises, or 92 percent of all those registered in the city, had resumed work by Feb 23.

Of the 2,383 construction sites across the city, 1,697 had resumed operations.

The Century Expressway connecting Dongming Road with Yongle Road was the first municipal construction project in the city to resume work.

Lou Dai, an employee of Hongrun Construction Group and manager of the project, said that 197 workers have returned to work thus far and more workers will return in the coming weeks via car or chartered bus from provinces such as Henan, Jiangxi, and Anhui.

Mayor Qiu Dongyao, while inspecting the construction site, said that more efforts should be made to minimize the impact of the epidemic and ensure the steady and healthy development of the construction industry.

The capacity of enterprises producing building materials such as concrete and sand is currently capable of meeting the demands of all operational construction sites, the local government said.

Measures taken by local authorities, including opening a green channel and optimizing administrative examination and approval systems, have been well-received among construction enterprises, said an official from the Ningbo Municipal Bureau of Housing and Urban-Rural Development.

The local government has also relaxed supervision on things such as pre-sale funds and pre-sale permits for commercial property, as the capital chain of real estate enterprises has become increasingly tense due to the outbreak.