Metro Line 12 under starter's orders in Shanghai

BEIJING, April 16 -- Shanghai is to start construction of Metro Line 12 this year, an arterial line that will incorporate 14 transfer stations, the Shanghai Metro Construction Headquarters announced yesterday.

The city is also to add more trains and install more bank ATMs and other commercial outlets at Metro stations.

"The Metro Line 12 will improve the city's efficiency of Metro network operation," said Huang Gang, an official of the headquarters.

Huang said the city government plans to start preliminary construction of the 39.5-kilometer line by the end of the year and the entire project is expected to be up and running by 2012.

The new line will connect Qixin Road Station in Minhang District in the west and Shangchuan Road Station in Pudong New Area in the northeast.

According to Huang, the line will pass through many emerging key downtown venues, including the Fuxing Island Development Zone of the Eastern Bund, the Caohejing Development Zone, the Northern Bund, the Longhua Tourism Zone and a commercial zone near Shanghai Railway Station.

It will have 32 underground stations, including 14 interchange stations connecting it with most of the city's other Metro lines.

By 2010, the city will have a network of 11 lines totaling 400 kilometers. By 2012, there will be 13 lines totaling 500 kilometers.

Also yesterday, the Shanghai Shentong Metro Group announced an increase in the number of trains this year.

It plans 21 new eight-unit trains for Metro Line 2. Another 20-plus six-unit trains on Line 2 will have additional units added to accommodate more passengers. Overall, 137 new trains will be added before 2010.

The group also plans to install 138 ATMs at 50 stations on Lines 6, 8 and 9 by the end of this month.

Eight banks - including the China Everbright Bank and the Bank of Communications - have signed contracts with Shentong for the ATMs in the Metro to promote commercial development.

Restaurants and stores will also open over the next few months at the stations of the three Metro lines.

(Source: Shanghai Daily)