Vice Beijing Mayor Liu Jingmin says the city will need an 60,000  to 100,000 volunteers for the 2008 Games. 

Liu said at the sports round-table meeting at the Global Forum in Beijing that volunteers will be indispensable for the Olympic Games.

The Beijing Volunteer Association has worked out an action plan for the great sports event.

He says Beijing has been focusing on removing obstacles for the handicapped for the Paralympics, as well as improving information exchange, transport and living arrangements.

According to Liu, Beijing spent 600 million yuan, or 72.3 million US dollars, upgrading its public service facilities, roads and tourist destinations over the past three years.

The mayor says special sidewalks and audio crosswalk signals for blind and vision impaired people and obstacle-free overpasses have been arranged all over the city.

Meanwhile, buses, the metro and the airport are being revamped for the handicapped.