Shanghai's government said yesterday that it was still seeking public opinion on an extension of the maglev railway line, which sparked massive protests earlier this month, but declined to give a deadline for the consultations.

Speaking at a regular city government news conference, spokeswoman Jiao Yang also warned against demonstrations, saying people should obey the law. Residents fear noise, vibrations and potential radiation from the train, as well as the impact on property values for homes along the line. The Shanghai government posted a revised route for the maglev late last month, which it said took into account the opinions of residents. The project was temporarily suspended in May after a public outcry.

Shanghai already has a maglev line running between a metro station and its international airport. It wants to extend the line to the World Expo site, southern railway station and domestic airport, then on to Hangzhou .