New network connecting Futian with Luohu and Xiangmi Lake will cost US$1 billion. Planning complete but funding delayed by high foreign exchange borrowings. Starting construction in October, 1999 for opening in 2003. June 1999. Ground-breaking for planned 14.8 km two-line network took place end-1998. East-West metro Line 1 will link new business district at Futian covering 413 ha to Luohu in the east and Xiangmi Lake in the west. Construction to commence in October, 1999 for 2003 opening. Planning complete, but awaiting financial go-ahead. March 1999. Construction commenced on first phase. Line now 14.3 km-long with 14 stations and to cost $960 million. August 1999. Work expected to get under way within months following lifting of State Planning Committee embargo on new metro construction which was imposed in 1995 to limit demands for foreign exchange. Most contracts must now be awarded to domestic firms and forex component limited to 30%. Sept 1999.  EPB TBMs on 1st phase underway by local contractors on one third of the total 20 km of tunnels. Stations are cut and cover or open cut, and there is also some traditional tunnelling. Systra-Sofretu are supervising engineers for client Shenzhen Metro Company for TBM works. First shield should break out of Yitian station early-June 2001. Visit www.systra.com 12/01.Arup and Beijing Urban Engineering and Research Institute have scooped a 6 billion yuan deal from metro operator MTR Corp. to design and supervise construction of the 16.5 km second phase of Shenzhen's metro line 4. About half of the 16.5 km line will be built in tunnel. The second phase, with nine stations and a depot, runs from Longhua south to Shaoniangong where it connects with the first phase being built by the Shenzhen Metro Corporation. When completed, the 21 km Line 4 will have 14 stations and run between the Huanggang border checkpoint and Longhua. A significant portion of the line will be elevated, with the remainder underground. Visit www.mtr.com.hk and www.arup.com.hk 23/04.Meinhardt has been chosen to carry out the detailed civil, structural, mechanical and electrical design together with geotechnical engineering for the southern section of the USD731 million second stage of Line 4. The contract was awarded by Hong Kong's MTR Corporation which has a 30-year concession to build the second stage and, once completed, operate the line. Meinhardt is responsible for designing the tunnels, which will be built with TBMs and drill and blast, and two underground stations. MTR Corporation is expected to invite design and build tenders next year for the main construction work. Stage two is expected to be completed in 2013. It comprises 16.5 km of double-track railway, most of which will be built underground. It will run from Huanggang, a western boundary crossing between Hong Kong and Shenzhen, to Longhua in the northwestern corner of Shenzhen. Stage one is being built by the Shenzhen Metro Company for completion by the end of 2008. Visit www.meinhardt.com.au 35/05.Shanghai Tunnel Engineering Co. (STEC) has won a CNY530 million contract from the Shenzhen metro corporation for the construction of a 4.8 km section of Line 2. About three kilometres of tunnel will be built by tunnel boring machine. Preliminary site clearance has just started on the CNY6.48 billion first phase of Line 2 that will link Shekou on the western side of Shenzhen with the Window on the World theme park where it will connect with the existing metro network. The 13.4 km first phase includes the construction of 11 stations including facilities at Shekou container terminal and passenger port and Nanshan. Read E-News Weekly 36/2007. Visit www.stec.net or www.tunnelling.cn 36/07.China Railway Group Ltd signed a contract worth around CNY9.5 billion with Shenzhen Metro Co. to build Shenzhen's subway line 5. Line 5 will cost nearly CNY20 billion. The construction period for the 42 km subway will be 42 months. The line, consisting of 29 stations, completes a loop of the city's underground traffic with other lines. It has interchanges with lines 1, 2, 3 and 4. Visit www.crec.cn 38/08.