In 2002 alone, the city will spend 54.19 billion yuan on key construction projects, said Gao Delong, head of the municipal office for major construction projects.

　　Projects on the agenda for 2002 include the 41 kilometer light rail system, with an investment of 6 billion yuan; and the No.5 subway line, stretching 28 kilometers and costing 12 billion yuan.

　　The subway line from Bawangfen to Tongzhou District, kicked offlast December, will have 80 percent of the civil engineering work done by the year end, to ensure it will be in service by 2003.

　　The official stressed that the government tends to use more market means in financing these projects, including the listing ofrelevant firms on the stock exchanges, the adoption of public bidding, among others.