Beijing has already ploughed more than 40 billion yuan (US$4.8 billion) into 60 major construction projects this year -- 21 percent of the planned total amount.

The figures were revealed yesterday by Gao Delong, a senior official with the municipal construction committee in a report to the Municipal People's Political Consultative Conference.

Metro construction, Olympic gymnasium projects, the renovation of old houses and construction of affordable homes for low and middle-income families were given priority among the 60 projects, said Gao, deputy director of the committee and director of the municipal major engineering office.

Gao vowed to further improve governmental services to attract more foreign funds in the construction of infrastructure and facilities, using an expected investment of 100 billion yuan (US$12 billion) in urban communications and environmental protection projects.

The urban high-speed railway is expected to have completed its construction phase by October, connecting Huilongguan in the north and two communication hubs on the Second Ring Road - Xizhimen in the west and Dongzhimen in the east.

Meanwhile, 80 percent of the civil engineering projects and installation of the subway from Bawangfen to Tongzhou District will be finished this year.

And to make traffic to the Olympic Park move more easily during the 2008 Olympic Games, a special section is now being prepared to connect the park with the North-South subway, according to Gao.

"The concrete blueprint will be drafted this week," Gao said yesterday.

It is expected Beijing's total length of underground railway will reach 138 kilometers by the end of this year from current 55 kilometers.

"Through the preliminary work of financing, planning and resettlement, a solid foundation will be laid this year for the Olympics gymnasium construction," said Gao.

Projects related to the control of air and water pollution are one of the focuses of the municipal government.

The gas transfer project from Northwest China's Shaanxi Province to Beijing will also be finished this year.

Four sewage treatment plants in Wujiacun, Lugouqiao, Xiaohongmen and Macaohe are in construction, together with the tree planting project at the fountainhead of sandstorms in Beijing and Tianjin.

The official stressed monopolies will be broken by the public bidding process in those projects invested in by the government such as railways, highways, gas and sewage treatment.

Members of the Municipal People's Political Consultative Conference advised the government yesterday on polishing the design and planning of the communications projects.

"Who the designer should be must also be decided through public bidding with more than one institute authorized," Weng Yanzhu, a member of the conference said yesterday.

Fixed assets investment last year reached 153 billion yuan (US$19 billion), among which 30 percent are for 60 key projects.

(China Daily April 11, 2002)