The city of Baotou, Inner Mongolia submitted its metro project description to the National Development and Reform Commission for approval recently, after undergoing a Ministry of Environmental Protection study, this past Jan 27 and has said that, if approved, it will begin construction work on the project in 2017.

As a preliminary, the city set up an urban railway construction organization to oversee preparations in 2010, then two years later established a metro office, with project examination and approval procedures starting in 2015. The city will announce the approval results within two months.