Construction of Third Subway in Guangzhou to Begin Next YearThe third subway in Guangzhou, one of the major southern gates in south China, will formally begin construction next year.But the construction of a 8.55 kilometer-long experimental section of the third subway in Guangzhou will start late this year,said sources from Guangzhou Subway Corporation. According to the sources, the new subway, which will extend from Guangzhou East Railway Station to Panyu District of Guangzhou,will have a length of 35.75 kilometers and will have 18 stops. A preliminary feasibility research report about the new subway has been finished and submitted to the State Development Planning Commission for approval. The finalized version of the project feasibility report will be produced in late June. Preliminary designing of the experimental section of the subway will be completed in late July. The experimental section of the subway will have five stops and traverse the Pearl River Delta twice. The subway, with a maximum speed of 120 kph, will take the shape of "Y" and is expected to be finished and ready for service in 2007. The new subway will cost 15.9 billion yuan (about 1.92 billion U.S. dollars), said the sources. The first subway of Guangzhou, 18.48 kilometers long and built mainly with overseas loans, has been put into operation since June 1999. The income from the operation of the first subway in 2000 reached 192 million yuan (about 23.1 million U.S. dollars). Chinese workers have been tensely working on 33 civil engineering projects for the second subway, which is 23.265 kilometers-long and extends from Jiangxia to Bazhou in Guangzhou, also capital of Guangdong Province. |
| People's Daily Online --- http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/ |