Shanghai maglev only at early stage, says city's mayor
Shanghai residents protesting against the planned extension of the high-speed maglev train may take comfort from a city announcement that plans are still at an early stage.
Shanghai Mayor Han Zheng said yesterday that the controversial project was not on a list of major projects approved by the city's legislature this year 'as it is yet to undergo any appraisal'.
Mr Han added that disagreement over the project was normal, but the public should express their opinions legally.
Residents started protesting against the maglev last year and resumed demonstrations in January after the city posted a revised route on its website in late December.
The week of protests included one in the city's main square on January 12. It was attended by about 2,000 people.
Residents say they are worried about the project's environmental impact and potential radiation, as well as a decline in property values along the route.
A protest leader said Mr Han's comments were welcome, but they did not mean Shanghai had scrapped the plans.
'The project has been approved for planning, but not construction,' Lu Guangfeng said.
Mr Lu said city officials had assured him that construction on the extension had stopped for an unspecified period for consultations with residents following the protests.
Shanghai already has a 30km maglev line - the only one in the world in commercial operation - between Pudong airport and a metro station in Pudong district.
The city wants to extend the line another 32km to the 2010 World Expo site, Shanghai South railway station and Hongqiao airport - and eventually on to Hangzhou, Zhejiang province .
It hopes to have the Shanghai extension ready for the World Expo, which opens on May 1, 2010. Engineering experts say the work could be done in one year.
Shanghai announces a list of 'major' continuing infrastructure projects every year, and this year's covers 67 projects, including 15 that will start construction and nine that will be completed, a city newspaper reported.
The projects include work on the Shanghai section of a high-speed rail line to Beijing, four metro lines and a traffic tunnel under the Bund district at the Huangpu River's waterfront.
Residents opposed to the maglev project remain suspicious about official claims that work has temporarily stopped. They say the city is still evicting residents and destroying buildings along the route, although that would not be classified actual construction.
'They are definitely doing relocation work,' one said.
Shanghai has also started work on a tunnel under the Huangpu linking the World Expo site to the Shanghai South station, mainland media reported.
The city claims the tunnel is for vehicle traffic, but protesters say it will also carry the maglev line.
