Western China's first subway line, the Chengdu Subway Line 1, will be put in operation at the end of September, according to the Sichuan Daily.
The 18-kilometer subway line passes through the city of Chengdu and starts from Shengxian Lake Station and ends at Shijicheng Station.
In addition to line 1, which will be put into operation, and line 2, which is in the process of construction, subway lines 4, 7 and 3 will also be completed by 2015. As a result, the track mileage of Chengdu is expected to exceed 340 kilometers by 2020. Subways will cover 70 percent of Chengdu's jurisdiction in the future.
Wang Ning, a deputy governor of Sichuan Province, said investigation and research of the subway was done in order to design a leading plan for urban public transport infrastructure, including track transportation. It was concluded that the best method of reducing urban traffic jams is to develop public transportation.
"We should give priority to the construction of public transportation in future urban development and use the concept of advanced development to scientifically plan the construction of urban track transportation and lay the foundation for the long-term development of the city," Wang said.
By Zhang Qian, People's Daily Online
