Some subway stations in the city will soon be equipped with imported platform screen door systems to curb numerous accidents, according to a local construction company.

The first set of full screen systems, including 80 screen doors, have been outfitted at the Guangzhong Lu Station along the extended Metro Line 1 and is now in the testing stage, according to sources with the Shanghai Metro Construction Corp Ltd.

"A major reason for the use of the system is to prevent accidents," said Zhang Qi, a senior engineer with the company.

The system, provided by the French venture Faiveley, will be put into operation next June.

According to statistics provided by the local metro operation company, an accident involving passengers falling into tunnels at local metro stations occurs every two days on average.

At least 60 to 70 passengers have reportedly died or been seriously injured in such accidents annually, according to company statistics.

"The actual number is even higher," Zhang said.

According to Zhang, Shanghai has decided to install systems in 17 stations on its M4 Line, which is now under construction.

"These devices are now available for international public bidding," he said.

Once such a system is operating along the M4, local authorities will consider having the systems equipped on other urban railways currently being proposed, such as the M8.

Imported systems for one station cost between US$2 million and US$3 million, and currently Shanghai can produce around 70 per cent of the systems locally. The remaining core technologies would continue to be imported, according to Zhang, who has been studying such systems since the early 1990s.

Shu Qipin, general manager of Shanghai Metro Operation Technology Develop Co Ltd, revealed that his company is now busy developing core technologies of such systems.

"The process has been going smoothly," said Shu.

So far, Shanghai has no plans to install devices on the M1, M2 and M3 lines, which are now operating. This is partly due to high renovation fees, according to the city's metro operation company.

Guangzhou, capital of South China's Guangdong Province, has also installed systems in 17 stations of its newly built M2 metro line.

First used in Singapore in the late 1980s, the screens have safety advantages in separating passengers on the platform from the tunnels. They can also help reduce high energy costs by air-conditioning facilities at metro stations.

(China Daily December 9, 2003)