THE engineering plan for Metro Line 12’s section between Zuopaotai and Taiziwan stations, which will go under the sea area in Shekou, has been approved by authorities.

It will be the first time for a tunnel-boring machine to be used in the city’s Metro under-sea tunnel construction.

The left rail of the section between Zuopaotai and Taiziwan stations is 908.96 meters and 158.56 meters of the section will go underwater. The right rail is 913.18 meters and 185.49 meters will go underwater.

The 40.54-kilometer south-north Phase I of Metro Line 12 has 18 interchange stations and plays an important role for the city’s western area development.

It starts from Zuopaotai Station in Nanshan and ends at Waterland Resort Station in Bao’an, passing Nanshan CBD, Bao’an CBD, Fuyong area, the airport area and the Shenzhen World Exhibition & Convention area. It has 33 stations and will be put into use in 2022.

So far, 88 percent of Line 12’s major structures have been completed and 24 out of 27 stations under construction have been topped off.

(Han Ximin)