Shanghai authorities claimed yesterday they had completed the relocation of people living on the World Expo site, but some residents said they had been forcibly evicted or pressured into signing compensation agreements.
Work on moving more than 18,000 families for the event in 2010 was 'basically complete', a month ahead of schedule, newspaper reports said. About 270 businesses operating on the 5.28 sq km site will move out this year.
A resident of Huangpu district claimed his family was thrown out of their home, which was then demolished, in early April after he rejected the compensation offered.
'I haven't signed an agreement. There are many households in this situation,' said the man, who declined to be identified. 'We are waiting for a proposal, but the officials don't care.'
Shanghai has not publicised the compensation amounts offered to people living on the expo site. Some residents claimed to have accepted 4,000 yuan to 5,000 yuan per square metre.
Another former resident said he had faced political pressure to accept a compensation package, especially after bringing his complaint to the media. 'It's too sensitive. I didn't want to get involved in something so political,' he said.