China plans to spend more than 500 billion yuan (US$63 billion) on subways and light railway networks between 2010 and 2015 to ease pollution and traffic jams in its major cities.

The government wants to build 1,321 kilometers of rail lines during the period in 15 cities, Li Fengjun, deputy head of the railway division of the Ministry of Construction, said at a conference in Beijing today.

About 45 million people, more than the population of Spain, will move from China's rural areas to its cities and towns between 2006 and 2010, according to the National Development and Reform Commission. The migration is causing congestion and pollution across the country.

"The development of China's city rail network will peak in the next 10 years,'' Li said. "The expansion will benefit'' related industries.

The number of cities that will have more than 10 million people will double to 6 by 2020 from 2003, Li said.

China also plans to spend about 500 billion yuan to build 1,500 kilometers of city rail links between 2006 and 2010, the commission said last year.

The country currently has 21 subways and light rail lines in operation, Shi Zhongheng, an academic with China Academy of Engineering, said at the conference. Shi is involved in the government's planning for the rail networks.

China will need more than 6,800 railcars between 2010 and 2015 to run on the new rail lines, Li said.

(For more biz stories, please visit Industry Updates)