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Beijing Olympic Bid Enhanced
Beijing will get a major facelift this year thanks to the launch of around 50 key projects in infrastructure and other fields.
According to the Beijing municipal government, the total investment of the more than 50 projects will be 147.6 billion yuan (US$17.8 billion).
Among the 50 projects, which focus mainly on traffic, communications, environmental protection and gas and fuel supplies, 31 are under construction and the rest are expected to be started before the end of this year.
Up to now, the municipal government has invested 45.1 billion yuan (US$5.4 billion) on the construction and preparation of the projects, reaching 30.78 per cent of the planned investment.
Basic facilities cost 28.03 billion yuan (US$3.38 billion), and more than half of the money has been invested in traffic systems, including road, subway and light railway facilities.
Beijing plans to build 82.25 kilometres of new subway to add to the existing 53 kilometres and better the underground communication system.
Nine major roads in downtown Beijing are also being rebuilt and widened.
The existing waterways will be further extended following last year's waterway construction. Beijing plans to build a 70-metre-wide green belt along the waterways to protect the water quality as well as increase the green area along the water side.
There are also plans to replace the old boilers in Beijing before winter. New boilers will use environment-friendly fuels or natural gas to help improve Beijing's air quality.
After the renovation, the municipal government statistics show that some 2,160 tons of carbon dioxide emission, 14,400 tons of hydronitrogen and 3,530 tons of carbon monoxide could be reduced from the air a year.
The projects are also expected to play a big role in shaping Beijing's image as the city joins the bid to host the 2008 Olympic Games, the municipal government sources said. (Source: chinadaily.com.cn)
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