Shanghai Metropolis plans to build six urban rail transportation
lines in the next three years to facilitate traffic flow.
According to the municipal government's meeting on key urban
construction projects held on Monday, approximately 73 billion yuan
(about US$9 billion) will be input in the construction of the six
rail lines.
Shanghai's existing five rail lines are 123 kilometers long but
have not solved traffic congestion problems in the city.
Under the new planning, the construction of two of the planned
rail lines will be completed within the year and the others are
expected to be fully finished by 2009.
Shanghai's urban development budget for 2006 has been set at
60.8 billion yuan (US$7.6 billion). Transport projects construction
constitutes a major part of the urban development plan in the
city.
(Xinhua News Agency March 14, 2006)
