PLANS FOR another north-south metro line across the Chinese capital were unveiled by the Beijing Municipality on June 9. Line 9 is designed to open up development zones on the western side of the city.

The 18·3 km route with 15 stations is expected to cost 6·7bn yuan. It will connect the World Park in Fengtai district with the Capital Gymnasium in Haidan via Chinese Railways’ Beijing West station. The first phase of the project covers the 5·9 km running north from Beijing West to an interchange with Line 1.

Having signed agreements with Hong Kong’s MTR Corp in December for construction of Line 4 (RG 1.05 p9), the municipality is now seeking private backers to help develop lines 5, 9 and 10, which are all expected to be ready in time for the 2008 Olympic Games. Civil engineering on Line 5 began at the end of 2002. The 25·6 km first phase of Line 10, which will run east from Haidan and then south around the eastern side of the city to Jinsong, is expected to cost 12·8by yuan; this line is due for completion by the end of 2007.

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