Metro line under way as ‘shield’ starts work
The "shield" structure on Metro Line 18 starts construction.
The first giant “shield” machine started construction on Metro Line 18 yesterday morning.
The 36.8-kilometer-long line runs along major residential areas in three districts — Baoshan, Yangpu and the Pudong New Area — and is expected to make it easier for residents to transfer to other lines to travel around the city as well as promoting development in areas served by the line, such as Wujiaochang and Hangtou.
Line 18 starts from South Changjiang Road Station in Baoshan District and runs to Hangtou Town in Pudong, with 26 stations.
The shield started construction from Fanrong Road station. It has a diameter of 6 meters and is 65 meters in length. The shield will be used to build a tunnel under Zhouputang River.
To minimize impacts on nearby structures, the project shortened the shield’s maximum length of more than 80 meters to 65 meters to help to ensure the precision and safety of its work.
