CHINA: Three new metro projects have recently been approved, in Fuzhou, Nanchang and Urumqi.
A feasibility study for Line 2 of the Fuzhou metro was approved in November. The line is planned to run 26·3 km from Shadi to Gushan, with 22 stations. Fuzhou Metro will build and operate the line. Construction is estimated at 18·2bn yuan, of which the government will provide 7·51bn yuan. The line is planned to open in 2016.
Two lines have been approved for Urumqi, with the government providing 40% of the construction cost. The 26·5 km north-south Line 1 will run from Santunpai to the airport, with 21 stations. It is estimated to cost 17·9bn yuan and is intended to open in 2016. Phase 1 of Line 2 links the Border Bureau Offices with Mianma in an L-shaped 21·4 km alignment with 16 stations. Planned to open in 2019, it will cost 13·33bn yuan to build. Three more lines are planned for Urumqi by 2035.
In Nanchang a feasibility study for Line 2 was approved in November. The 23·3 km, 21-station line will connect Nanchang West and Yudai River. A US$250m World Bank loan is contributing to the 14·5bn yuan cost, with a further 5·94bn yuan coming from the government. In addition to Line 1, due to open in 2015, Nanchang has plans for three more lines, which would take the network to 117 route-km by 2020.
All three projects will use six-car Type B trainsets. Fuzhou Line 2 will have 26 and Nanchang Line 2 will have 22.
