The Beijing Subway Corporation has announced that it would spend 800 million yuan (96.4 US$million) on upgrading 31 out of the 44 projects designed to remove hidden dangers in its subway network this year.

The upgrading efforts will target safety problems existing in underground equipment and fire control systems of the subways, including renewal of subway carriages, installation of new systems for fire alert, fire control, ventilation and electricity supply in the subway, said Xie Zhengguang, general manager of the company, over the weekend.

The Beijing municipal government has decided to set aside 3.7 billion yuan (US$446 million) under a scheme to remove hidden dangers in its subway system by 2007.

Beijing now has three subway lines in operation with a distance of about 114 km, and three others, with a total length of 86.22 km, are either being constructed or will be constructed. The new subway lines will be completed and ready for operation before 2008,when Beijing hosts the summer Olympic Games.

Currently, the subways of the national capital carry 15 percent of the city's public transportation passenger volume each year.

(Xinhua News Agency March 2, 2004)