When Asia's longest submerged tunnel opens to traffic this weekend, it will do so with a comprehensive emergency response plan in place.

The 2,880-metre-long Outer-ring Road Tunnel, which runs under the Huangpu River, was built to reduce traffic congestion in and around China's biggest city.

The section of the tunnel that crosses the river will be monitored 24 hours a day, according to Hu Xiling, vice-general-manager of the Shanghai Huangpu River Bridge and Tunnel Operation Management Co.

"Shanghai is a safe place but we must stay vigilant because any act of terrorism could result in a huge disaster underground," he said.

Hu's company operates Yangpu, Nanpu and Xupu bridges, Yan'an Donglu Tunnel and Dapu Lu Tunnel in the city.

The company's experience and comprehensive emergency plans for the tunnel helped it win the five-year right to operate the Outer-ring Road Tunnel -- the first river-crossing project in Shanghai to invite public bidding for such rights.

"We have taken every possible type of accident into consideration and we are committed to detecting and reporting unusual incidents within a minute," Hu said.

If suspect vehicles stop or drop off goods or passengers in the tunnel, staff in the central control room will immediately notify patrolmen and officials to respond to the incident.

Police, firefighters and tractor operators have coordinated their plans to clear obstacles, remove dangers, and restore traffic flow as soon as possible.

"We do not have the right to check goods that pass through the tunnel. So our staff have to be specially trained to identify and treat dangerous goods such as explosives or other harmful chemicals," Hu said.

More than 2,000 fire extinguishers and an automatic sprinkler system have been installed in the tunnel in case of fire. A fire drill will be conducted next week to test the systems, Hu said.

The emergency plans also cover problems such as power cuts, flood, ice and snow.

When the ferry across the Huangpu River is forced to stop operating because of foggy weather, the tunnel will offer an alternative route to walkers and cyclists.

The other two tunnels the company operates have similar plans in place, but they are not as detailed as the one developed for the new tunnel, Hu said.

"The tunnel's eight lanes and the container trucks that use them pose a major challenge," Hu said. "Thus we have to gather the best staff and most advanced technology to operate the tunnel."

The Outer-ring Road Tunnel has three divisions. The outer two sections offer a total of six lanes and will be opened to traffic on the weekend. The central division consists of two lanes and will open to traffic later, Hu said.

As the tunnel is designed to take the pressure off the Outer-ring Road, it is likely to fill with traffic quickly, creating a demand for the two spare lanes.

(China Daily June 17, 2003)