Originally posted on sciy.org by Ron Anastasia on Mon 28 May 2007 11:37 AM PDT
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China suspends new maglev train project due to health concerns - Xinhua
05.27.07, 11:12 AM ET
BEIJING (AFX) - China has suspended the planned construction of a high-speed magnetic levitation train linking the eastern cities of Shanghai and Hangzhou due to health concerns, the official Xinhua news agency has reported.
Citing unnamed Shanghai officials, Xinhua said the project has been suspended following petitions from residents living along the proposed route worried about possible health problems from the maglev's high powered magnets.
A question of whether the project can eventually recover the more than 40 bln yuan invested in it also casts a shadow over its feasibility, Xinhua said.
It's now 'hard to say' if the train will be built at all, Xinhua quoted Wang Qingyun, the official in charge of transportation at the National Development and Reform Commission, as saying.
The maglev uses powerful magnets to drive the train at speeds of up to 430 km per hour.
The project was expected to be completed in time for Shanghai's hosting of the World Expo in 2010, according to Xinhua.
Shanghai has one magnetic levitation line in operation linking Shanghai's Pudong airport and an eastern suburb of the city. That was built by Transrapid International, a consortium of Siemens AG (nyse: SI - news - people ) and ThyssenKrupp AG.
Xinhua did not mention any local opposition to the line currently in operation.
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