Preliminary work started on an 18-km extension of the only subway line in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province, on Monday.

"Construction will begin before the end of the year if the geological studies prove the extension can be accommodated," said a spokesman for the Nanjing city government.

The extension will run from Andemen, currently the southern terminus of the No.1 north-south subway, southward toward Jiangning University.

The line will cost 6.92 billion yuan (about US$ 865 million) and will have 12 stops.

"All the subway stops and other civil engineering work are expected to be finished by August 2008 if everything goes to plan, and the entire project will be finished and put into service on Dec. 1, 2009," said the spokesman.

The No. 1 north-south subway in Nanjing began operation in September 2005. With a length of 21.72 km and 16 stops, the subway cost 8.5 billion yuan (US$ 1.06 billion).

Industry experts said that the completion of the planned subway extension project would alleviate traffic congestion in the southeastern part of the city. Construction of the east-west No.2 subway is also in progress.

(Xinhua News Agency November 20, 2006)