Construction on the Olympic venues is progressing smoothly with
work already under way on 20 of the 31 Beijing-based sites for the
2008 Games, officials said on Tuesday.
Work also began on five auxiliary facilities and one training
ground last year.
A total of 17,000 workers are being employed at all of the
Olympic sites that are under construction.
The two main venues of the 2008 Olympic Games the National
Stadium, which cost 3.03 billion yuan (US$377.8 million) and the
National Aquatics Center, costing 1.02 billion yuan (US$125.8
million) already have their main structures in place.
Renovation programs will be launched this year on eight existing
sports venues and 18 training centers, while 59 roads and three
bridges will be either built or renovated to ensure access to
sites.
The environment around the venues and roads will also be
improved.
All the competition venues for the 2008 Games will be in place
by the end of 2007, according to organizers.
A total of 37 competition venues will be used in the country for
the 2008 Games, including 14 brand new ones, 14 existing facilities
that need renovation and upgrading, and nine temporary venues.
In another development, major forestation efforts will be taken
in the Olympic Green, a theme park specially created for the Games,
around sports venues, and along roads that connect the venues and
downtown, said Beijing Mayor Wang Qishan recently.
(China Daily March 29, 2006)