Construction on the eastern extension of Shanghai Metro Line 2 and relocation work to make way for Metro line 11 will begin this year, Jiefang Daily reported.

The eastern extension, a 30.8-kilometer link in Pudong New Area, will set up 12 stations to connect the Longyang Station on Metro Line 2 to Pudong International Airport.

Nine stations of the Line 2 extension will be built underground, two will be elevated and one will be at street level.

Trial operation of the extension will begin in time for the World Expo in May 2010.

Construction designers also plan to extend Metro Line 2 west to Hongqiao International Airport so that it will take only one hour and 20 minutes to travel between Hongqiao Airport and Pudong Airport.

The Y-shaped Metro Line 11, designed to be the longest subway in China with a total span of nearly 120 kilometers, will connect Jiading District in western Shanghai, Lingang New Town in Nanhui District and the downtown city.

The first phase of Line 11, a 46-kilometer-section that will link Jiading with Jiangsu Road, including a branch to the Formula One track, will be finished before World Expo 2010, according to previous reports.

The two Metro line projects are among the 72 key constructions in Pudong this year, which totaled a record investment of 82 billion yuan (US$11.71 billion), the report said.

Shanghai plans to build 10 new Metro lines between 2005 and 2012, stretching 389 kilometers. The city Metro system is expected to span 510 kilometers by 2012. (Shanghai Daily)