China opens new subway lines for Olympics

Beijing, July 19 (PTI) Beijing Saturday opened three new
subway lines in a bid to reduce traffic on the city's streets
and improve air quality ahead of the Olympics.
The new rail lines built at a cost of USD 3.2 billion
would increase the number of subway lines in the Chinese
capital to eight and the total length of the track to 200 k.m.
from 142 k.m.
The opening comes a day ahead of the implementation of a
broad traffic ban that will keep more than one million cars
off Beijing's streets during the August 8-24 Olympics and will
add significantly to the burden on the city's public transport
system.
Beijing has banned vehicles with odd and even-numbered
licence plates on alternate days for two months starting July
20.
Battling air pollution, Beijing has invested massively on
easing transport and reducing traffic congestion to encourage
the residents to use public transport.
The new lines include one to the airport and another to
the Olympic Branch line running 4.5 kms. which will carry
spectators to the main Games' venues in northern Beijing. The
third line will run 25 k.m. northwest to southeast, official
Xinhua news agency said.
Before and during the Games, the Olympic Branch Line will
open exclusively to participants of the Games, including
athletes, coaches, journalists and spectators holding the
tickets of the day, Zhou Zhengyu, Deputy Head of Beijing
Municipal Committee of Communications, said.
He said the new rail lines would increase the system's
carrying capacity by 800,000 passengers.
"We are confident that with these new subway lines we can
help cope with the extra burden of commuters," he said.
Beijing subway operators have estimated a daily maximum
of 30,000 passenger trips during the Games, Liu Jian, deputy
head of the Beijing Mass Transit Railway Corporation Ltd.,
said.