Beijing's
investment in infrastructure construction is expected to reach 220
billion yuan (US$27.16 billion) during the Tenth
Five-Year?Guideline period (2001-2005), according to the
municipal development and reform committee.
The figure is about 60 percent more than that for the previous
five-year period which ended in 2000.
During the past five years, two major track lines were built and
opened to traffic, extending the total length of Beijing's track
lines to 114 kilometers.
Currently, five other track lines, with a total length of 115
kilometers, are under construction and are expected to open to
traffic in two to three years.
A group of highways including the Fourth, Fifth Ring roads and
the first phase project of the Sixth Ring road were completed and
opened to traffic during this period, linking eight new towns in
suburban Beijing with the downtown area.
According to the Beijing Municipal Transportation Bureau,
Beijing built 1,100 kilometers of highways in the past five years,
bringing the total length of highways in operation to 14,700
kilometers in the city.
Beijing also made progress in construction of natural gas
transmission and power supply facilities. Consumption of natural
gas and power accounted for 54.4 percent of Beijing's total energy
resources consumption in 2004, and the ratio is expected to reach
57 percent last year.
(Xinhua News Agency January 4, 2006)