China.org.cn:
Have you caught any passengers trying to take on prohibited items since June 29?
Jia Peng:
Yes. We actually have found some passengers trying to take on prohibited items at different security checkpoints. These prohibited items can mainly be divided into three types: inflammable and explosive materials; gasoline, alcohol and kerosene; and lighters. I must say that passengers are allowed to take on one or two lighters. But if merchants or hawkers try to take on hundreds of lighters because they have their own lighter business, we will strictly inspect them, as it is very dangerous to put so many lighters together in such a little space. The result will be terrible if these lighters explode. In addition, some kinds of souvenirs coming from minority ethnic areas or tourist areas, such as knives, are prohibited.
China.org.cn:
If an accident happens, is there a way for passengers to escape from the area as quickly as possible?
Jia Peng:
We mainly divide the public place in the subway into three regions: halls and stations; hallways and tunnels; and carriages.
First, if something suddenly happens in the carriages, such as the lights going out or the air conditioner not working, passengers should keep calm and follow the subway driver or another staff member's commands. The most dangerous thing a passenger can do is to jump from the windows, because the electrical current beneath the subway reaches 750 volts. In this situation, the subway driver should tell passengers the reason why they are stopped and to wait for the rescue. If subway service is totally discontinued, our staff will communicate with the workers at the general scheduling room to make sure the subway track power is off. Then the passengers can exit into the tunnel through the escape doors and walk to the station.
Second, if an accident happens at the station, passengers should be aware of where the exit is. There are fluorescent emergency exit signs on the walls in every station. Following these signs, passengers can escape.
Third, if an incident happens in the hallways, the most important thing, again, is to remain calm. As we all know, it is hard for passengers to have a good sense of direction here. But don't be worried. We have three different systems to ensure the lighting of the tunnels, the stations and the hallways when an emergency happens. They are the normal lighting system, the emergency lighting system and the accident lighting system.
Under normal circumstances, common lamps are the source of station lighting. Once the normal lighting system doesn't work, the emergency lighting system will play its role, which is to provide battery-powered emergency lights. These emergency lights can last for a few hours. What is the accident lighting system? If there is something wrong with the power system in Fuxingmen Station and it cannot provide normal electrical lighting, nearby Xidan Station will provide dynamic power or lighting power for the Fuxingmen Station.
China.org.cn:
The Olympics branch of the Beijing subway has been a mystery since its inception. How about it now? Can you give us some information?
Jia Peng:
The Olympic branch is part of line 8 in our design. Because the main Olympic venues lie in the northern area of the field for the Asian games, and line 8 goes right between the Bird's Nest and the Water Cube, this line was designed in accordance with a two-step plan. The 5.8-kilometer subway serving the Olympics should be completed before the opening of Olympics. After that it will be expanded north and south so that the second part of the plan can be finished.
At present, four stations have been completed and are in trial-use without passengers. Now they are preparing for operation during the Olympics and in mid-July will be in trial operation. After the trial, because the line is through the center of the main Olympics area, it will not serve ordinary passengers during the Olympics and Paralympics. Instead, it will serve Olympic officials, registered journalists, volunteers and those passengers who have valid tickets to the Bird's Nest, Water Cube, and the other venues. It will be open to the common citizens after the Olympics.
(China.org.cn by Wang Wei & Ma Yujia, July 16, 2008)