Four new subway lines open in Beijing
Expansion of network aims to ease capital's worsening traffic congestion
Beijing put four subway lines and extensions into operation yesterday as part of the capital's efforts to expand its public urban transport network and ease traffic congestion.
China's economy has quadrupled in size over the past decade, boosting car ownership that has led to clogged roads and forced some cities to impose traffic restrictions. The nation, home to 16 of the world's 20 most polluted cities, according to the World Bank, has this year accelerated approvals for the construction of local transport networks across the country.
As many as 300 million of the nation's 1.4 billion people will move from the countryside by 2030 to join the 600 million already living in cities, according to estimates from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Meanwhile, Vice-Premier Li Keqiang is championing urbanisation as a new growth engine.
The National Development and Reform Commission this month approved plans to build 456 kilometres of subway in Changsha, the capital of Hunan province, involving initial investment of 63.7 billion yuan (HK$78 billion) and has allowed similar projects in cities including Fuzhou and Urumqi.
Xian and Lanzhou are among regional capitals in northwestern China building or planning metro systems.