A fourth metro line will be built in Beijing at a cost of $1.8 billion in time for the 2008 Olympics, reports the Beijing Daily.
Construction of the 26.22 kilometre train link will begin in late 2003 and be completed by the end of 2007.
A third metro opened in September as part of the city’s modernization efforts prior to the Summer Games.
By the time the new line is open, Beijing will have 156.7 kilometres of metro railway at a total cost of $7.6 billion.
The city authority has announced it will try to persuade citizens in this city clogged with cars to travel by train and once again by bicycle in an effort to battle pollution and traffic jams.
Meanwhile, Beijing plans to finish the construction of sport facilities for the Games at least one year ahead of time so the facilities can be tested.
Liu Qi, Beijing’s mayor and president of the Beijing 2008 Organizing Committee said the city would do all it could to ensure that the stadia and the Olympic Village were completed by the end of 2006.
Liu said in an official Xinhua news agency report that test events could then be held during 2007. “We are fully confident about achieving this goal. The construction of key Olympic venues will be kicked off in July next year”.
The organizing committee has called for international tenders for the construction of various Olympic facilities including a national stadium, an athletes’ village, a swimming centre and a racing track.
