Recently, General Office of the State Council issued the Opinion on Further Strengthening the Management of Urban Rail Transit Planning and Construction and deployed the planning and construction of urban rail transit in China under the new situation. In comparison with the notice issued by General Office of the State Council on strengthening the construction and management of urban rapid rail transit in September 2003, the opinion strictly narrows the application of construction and strengthens the risk control of construction projects. It mainly——

——increases the relevant economic indicators for applying the construction of subway and light rail, for example, the "bottom line" of financial revenue and regional GDP for city applies for subway construction are adjusted to 30 billion yuan and 300 billion yuan respectively from 10 billion yuan and 100 billion yuan, and that for light rail construction are raised to 15 billion yuan and 150 billion yuan respectively from 6 billion yuan, 60 billion yuan. It also stipulates that the initial passenger transport intensity of the city applies for subway is not less than 7 thousand person-time per kilometer per day, which will be 4 thousand person-time per kilometer per day for light rail.

——makes clear that the investment in the total investment of the subway and light rail construction projects should not be less than 40% and the tram project will be approved by the provincial development and reform departments.

——puts forward the principle of national overall planning, provincial responsibility and the main body of the city, and clarify the responsibilities of relevant departments and local governments. The relevant departments of the State Council should strengthen the overall planning and guidance of urban rail transit planning and construction. The relevant departments of the provincial government should carry out the whole process of supervision on the construction plan, and the city government is responsible for the project construction and the government debt risk management and control.