WORK began Wednesday on laying tracks for Shenzhen Metro Line 5.

The line will extend 40 kilometers from Qianhai Bay in Nanshan District eastward to Huangbeiling in Luohu District, linking urban Bao'an District, with 27 stations.

Construction began in May this year and is scheduled to be completed by June 2011. Line 5 is costing a total of 20.6 billion yuan (US$3 billion). The line comprises a 3.4-kilometer section above ground and a 35.8-kilometer underground section.

The city's first Metro line opened Dec. 28, 2004, making Shenzhen the fifth city on the mainland to have a subway after Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai and Guangzhou.

Shenzhen Metro presently operates on two lines. Both lines are being extended and three new lines are under construction. The network will have a total length of 177 km by 2011.

Source:Shenzhen Daily