Metro operator gears up for Line 9 extension

Construction of the eastern extension of Metro Line 9 will begin soon.

Work is expected to be completed by the end of 2017, adding another 17 kilometers of track and 10 stations.

Pudong New Area's Jinqiao area will be covered by the extension, which will start from Yanggao Road M. Station and end at Caolu Railway Station.

According to an earlier blueprint, the extension will pass through Luoshan Road and Jinqiao Road viaducts, the Outer Ring Road in Pudong and the Pudong canal. The 10 new stations will link with lines 12, 14 and the yet to be approved Line 19.

Line 9 currently connects Pudong to downtown Madang Road, Xujiahui and Yishan Road before veering southwest to Songjiang District.

Meanwhile, new standards have been established for the trial operation of new subway lines.

A new line should have at least a 3-month testing period before opening to the public, according to the new standards. In the first 90 days of operation, the interval between trains should be no more than 15 minutes, and no more than 10 minutes in rush hours on downtown area routes. Trains should also operate at least 12 hours a day during trial operations.