Shanghai Metropolis plans to build six urban rail transportation lines in the next three years to facilitate traffic flow.

According to the municipal government's meeting on key urban construction projects held on Monday, approximately 73 billion yuan (about US$9 billion) will be input in the construction of the six rail lines.

Shanghai's existing five rail lines are 123 kilometers long but have not solved traffic congestion problems in the city.

Under the new planning, the construction of two of the planned rail lines will be completed within the year and the others are expected to be fully finished by 2009.

Shanghai's urban development budget for 2006 has been set at 60.8 billion yuan (US$7.6 billion). Transport projects construction constitutes a major part of the urban development plan in the city.

(Xinhua News Agency March 14, 2006)