In the first half of this year, Beijing Subway Line 7 will be put into operation and the airport line will follow, increasing the city's total traffic mileage to 200 km. Wang Haiping, deputy director of the State Development and Reform Commission, said that while Line 4, Line 8, Line 9, the second phase of Line 10 (Yizhuang) and the first phase of Line 6 (Daxing) are under construction; Subway Lines 7 and Line 14 will begin construction this year, to ultimately "build 11 lines simultaneously, 270 km miles under construction."
According to Director of Urban Development and Reform Commission Xu Xiaoyuan, the Ministry of Communications will accelerate rail transit construction next year to complete the construction of the city centre's traffic network and build cumulative mileage to 440 km by 2012. For a period of time, Beijing will complete and open one transit line annually.
As for the track's construction funds, Xu Xiaoyuan said that by 2015, Beijing will have 19 metro lines, involving a static investment of 170 billion yuan and a dynamic investment of 273 billion. At present, the investment program for the city's rail construction has been determined by the government: 40 percent of the track will be built by the city and district governments, and the other 60% of the capital will come from bank loans. We are also considering a foreign investment.
"Starting from 2008, the municipal government will provide 10 billion yuan each year in rail transit construction funds to ensure the smooth progress of the construction," Xu Xiaoyuan stated.
Line 14 will run 42 km in length with a total of 22 stations. It is expected to open in 2012. The line begins in the west at Lugou Bridge; goes eastward to the Beijing's southern Jinsong Station; and then north via Si Hui, Chaoyang Park and other stations, to end in Wangjing. Line 7 will run 27.3 km with 17 stations, including transfer stations to Line 9 at the Beijing West Railway Station.
By People's Daily Online
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