Some subway stations in Shanghai, China's largest city, will soon be equipped imported platform screen door (PSD) systems in an effort to curb numerous accidents, according to a local construction company.

The first set of full PSD systems, including 80 screen doors, have been outfitted at the Guangzhong Lu Station along the extended Metro Line 1 and is now in the testing stage, according to sources with the Shanghai Metro Construction Corp Ltd.

"A major reason for the use of the PSD system is to prevent accidents,'' said Zhang Qi, a senior engineer with the company.

The system, provided by the French venture Faiveley, will be put into operation next June.

According to statistics provided by the local metro operation company, an accident involving passengers falling into tunnels at local metro stations occur every two days on average.

At least 60 to 70 passengers have reportedly died or been seriously injured in such accidents annually, according to company statistics.

"The actual number is even higher,'' Zhang said.

According to Zhang, Shanghai has decided to install PSDs in 17 stations on its M4 Line, which is now under construction.

"These devices are now available for international public bidding,'' he said.

Once such a system has been successfully operated along the M4, local authorities will also consider having the systems equipped on other urban railways currently being proposed, such as the M8.

Imported PSD systems for one station cost between US$2 million and US$3 million, and currently Shanghai can produce around 70 per cent of these systems locally. The remaining core technologies would continue to be imported, according to Zhang, who has been studying such systems since the early 1990s.

Shu Qipin, general manager of Shanghai Metro Operation Technology Develop Co Ltd, revealed that his company is now busy developing core technologies of PSD systems.

"The process has been going smoothly,'' said Shu.

So far, Shanghai has no plans to install more PSDs on the M1, M2 and M3 lines, which are now under operation. This is partly due to high renovation fees, according to the city's metro operation company.

Guangzhou, capital of South China's Guangdong Province, has also installed PSDs in 17 stations of its newly built M2 metro line.

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