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The construction of China's controversial National Grand Theatre officially started recently after four years of preparation and is expected to take four years.

Some revisions have been made to the original plan to reduce costs and construction area.

The current estimated cost of the project is 2.688 billion yuan (US$325 million), substantially less than the original 3 billion yuan (US$362 million).

The reduction in cost comes mainly from the cancellation of the complex's theatre, which will leave it with an opera hall, a concert hall, an auditorium and art galleries.

Total construction area has been cut from the original 180,000 square metres to 149,500 square metres, because the 30,000 square metre parking lot, originally included in the plan, is going to be built separately.

This new parking lot will provide the entire Tian'anmen Square area with its first major parking lot.

When the parking lot is finished, it will be able to accommodate 1,000 vehicles and 1,400 bicycles. Parking will no longer be a headache when there are major activities in the square.

The theatre, located on the west side of the Great Hall of the People in downtown Beijing, will be built to a modernistic design by French architect Paul Andreu.

Wang Zhengming, spokesman of the group developing the theatre, told China Daily Friday that the theatre, although it would not to be the world's most luxurious, would present "some pleasant surprises": some of the world's best performance facilities.

Departments involved with the building of the theatre have also solicited opinions from experts and the general public on the design before finalizing the plan.

Wang denied reports that the start had been deliberately played down in order to dodge attacks from people opposing the development.

"Most key construction projects, such as the Fifth Ring Road, have not been started with great fanfares, so our quiet start is not out of the ordinary," he said.

"Let us celebrate at the completion of the project instead."

Although the Grand Theatre is planned to be completed in 2005, Wang said they were working hard to finish earlier.

"It would not be a bad thing to provide our citizens with the best theatre facilities our country can offer ahead of schedule," said he.(China Daily)(12/15/2001)