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Displaced Or Not, Residents Oppose Rail Expansion

Posted by: Nate Berg

14 March 2007 - 7:00am

Many Chinese residents facing displacement are protesting the planned expansion of a high-speed magnetic levitation train in Shanghai. Others who won't be displaced are also opposed, fearing increased noise pollution and accidents.

"In China, local residents are rarely consulted when it comes to big construction projects. While Beijing's 'urban makeover' for the 2008 Olympics has already led to the demolition of thousands of homes, Shanghai is now plannig to evict thousands of families in order to make way for the extension of the Transrapid magnetic levitation (maglev) track. This time, however, the affected residents are not going quietly."

"While some of them are worried about finding somewhere to live in time and how they will be compensated, those who are not being moved are concerned about noise, magnetic waves and possible accidents. The trains for the line are built by Transrapid International, a consortium of the German companies Siemens and ThyseenKrupp. The high-speed trains zip along at 430 kilometers an hour along elevated tracks."

"The current maglev line is 30 kilometers long and links the Pudong financial district with Shanghai's international airport. The new 37-kilometer extension is scheduled to be completed by 2009 and will connect to the domestic Hongqiao airport and pass the World Expo 2010 grounds."

Full Story: Shanghai Residents Protest Transrapid Extension
Source: Der Spiegel, March 13, 2007
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