Shanghai and the neighbouring city of Nanjing have announced large-scale railway projects. Both had received state approval despite the central government's moves to slow investment, mainland media reported yesterday. Nanjing would build a 'trial' section of a new high-speed railway between Beijing and Shanghai using conventional technology, the Oriental Morning Post said. That would mean it has ruled out using Germany's magnetic-levitation technology for the project. Shanghai government spokeswoman Jiao Yang declined to say what technology would be used for the Beijing-Shanghai line. 'Shanghai will firmly support the central government's decision,' she said. Nanjing vice-mayor Jiang Yude was quoted as saying the city had approved the plan for building the link, but that the Ministry of Railways would set the date for the start of construction. According to state media, the mainland had ruled out maglev technology, which Shanghai used for its railway to Pudong airport. The line's operator, the Shanghai Maglev Transportation Development, yesterday declined to comment on the latest reports. The mainland aims to finish the 100-billion-yuan Beijing-Shanghai line by 2008, in time for the Beijing Olympics. Meanwhile, reports said Shanghai planned to build a 117km, 5-billion-yuan line serving the city's Pudong development zone. The southern section of the line would be finished by the end of next year to link the planned Yangshan deepwater port, the first phase of which will become operational in 2006. Shanghai views the port as central to its goal of becoming a container-shipping hub. The northern section of the Pudong line would reach the mouth of the Yangtze River, the reports said. Officials say the government is re-examining some urban rail projects amid the drive to slow the economy, but bigger transport projects are still receiving approval.
