Zhejiang official: No maglev link to Shanghai By Chang Tianle (China Daily) Updated: 2004-03-11 09:16
An official with the Zhejiang provincial government has
denied media reports that a maglev line will be built between Shanghai and
Hangzhou, capital city of East China's Zhejiang Province.
"We are merely studying possibilities for the high-speed railway. It's
far too early to say whether we will adopt conventional technology or maglev
technology," said Wang Guoxiang, a section chief of the province's planning
commission.
But he conceded that Guangdong Province's decision not to use maglev
technology for the rail link between Guangzhou and Zhuhai "more or less had some
impact" on their decision-making.
Using traditional instead of maglev technology, Guangzhou is expected to save
15 billion yuan (US$1.8 billion).
Shanghai Maglev Transportation Development Company has recently finished an
interim study report on the project, triggering speculation that the technology
would be used.
Wang said a proposal on conventional rail was submitted a long time ago, but
some data needed updating.
Neither solution has been submitted for approval, he added. The railway is
scheduled for completion by 2010.
The maglev system, which cannot be integrated with existing tracks, has been
opposed by the Ministry of Railway. As China does not have all the core
technologies, there is concern among government officials and academic circles
over the system.
With strong support from the central government, especially former premier
Zhu Rongji, Shanghai built a maglev line connecting the city centre with Pudong
airport, which started commercial operations in January after one year of
trials.
The 32-kilometre railway cost about 10 billion yuan (US$1.2 billion) but
according to a source familiar with maglev technology, building the railway
elsewhere in China would not be so costly.
Many technologies needed for the maglev line can now be developed by domestic
scientists; and the land cost will not be as high as in Shanghai.
Another source, who did not want to be named, told China Daily that Shanghai
plans to build a 7-kilometre maglev line to connect the existing Longyang
station with the World Expo 2010 site.
"Despite the high price, it is important for us to adopt the latest
technology, and develop our own at the same time," the source
said.
