Enter into a conversation with someone from Banqiao about the Nanjing Metro, drop in the words, “Line 8”, and be more-than-likely met with a response comprising a scowl and a bunch of expletives. Forgive them; they’ve been waiting since 2006.
与板桥人谈论南京地铁时，只要加上“8 号线”，很可能得到的回应包括皱眉和一堆咒骂。原谅他们；他们从 2006 年起就一直在等待。
It’s because Line 8 has up and left the people of Banqiao, shattering many dreams in the process, not least those held dear by people who had brought a property in the area out of expectation for a metro line (to push up said property’s asking price).
因为8号线的开通，离开了板桥人民，在这个过程中，很多人的梦想都破灭了，尤其是那些因为期待地铁线路而在该地区买房的人们所珍视的梦想（从而推高了房产的要价）。
Banqiao Sub District lies in the southern part of Yuhuatai District of Nanjing City, with Jiangning District to its east and the banks of the Yangtze River to its west. Banqiao occupies an area of 51.49 square kilometres.
板桥街道位于南京市雨花台区南部，东邻江宁区，西濒长江。板桥区面积51.49平方公里。
Recently, a draft of the land and space planning for Qixia District in Nanjing was officially announced. Therein, those two dreaded words; Line 8, together with multiple other metro line projects, including Line 8, Line 12, Line 14, the east extension to Line 2, and Line S5.
近日，南京市栖霞区国土空间规划草案正式公布。其中，有两个可怕的词： 8号线以及其他多条地铁线路项目，包括8号线、12号线、14号线、2号线东延、S5号线。
It was the final nail in the coffin for the desires of people in Banqiao, another miserable confirmation that all their waiting, investment and planning for the future had been in vain.
这是板桥人愿望的最后一颗钉子，再次悲惨地证实了他们所有的等待、投资和对未来的规划都是徒劳的。
Backing up, it was in fact as early as 2006 that city authorities put Nanjing Metro Line 8 on the agenda, making it highly anticipated by Banqiao.
倒退一下，其实早在2006年，南京市政府就将南京地铁8号线提上日程，让板桥备受期待。
Today however, local residents recall hearing the rumour while they were preparing to graduate. Now they have children. A few are even grandparents. But still no metro line.
然而今天，当地居民回忆说，他们在准备毕业时听到了这个谣言。现在他们有了孩子。有一些甚至是祖父母。但仍然没有地铁线路。
The light at the end of the tunnel, however, so to speak, is Line S2, that shall connect Nanjing with Ma’anshan in neighbouring Anhui Province.
然而，隧道尽头的曙光可以说是 S2 线，它将连接南京和邻近的安徽省马鞍山。
We now know for certain that there shall be three stations in the Banqiao area, namely Banqiao South, Banqiao and Banqiao North.
现在我们已经确定，板桥地区将设立板桥南、板桥、板桥北三个车站。
In addition, on 9 January of this year was released the “Second Announcement of the Environmental Impact Assessment for the Third Phase of Nanjing Urban Rail Transit Construction Plan (2023-2028)”. Therein, confirmation that Line 9 Phase II and Line 16 will radiate to Banqiao.
此外，今年1月9日发布了《南京城市轨道交通三期建设规划（2023-2028年）环境影响评价第二次公告》。其中，确认9号线二期、16号线辐射板桥。
But it’s not over yet. Back with Line S2, engineering challenges suggest a planned opening date of 2025 could well even now be slipped. The poor folks of Banqiao never realised they would wait 20 years for a metro line.
但事情还没有结束。回到 S2 线，工程挑战表明原计划于 2025 年开通的日期现在很可能会被推迟。板桥的穷人从来没有意识到他们要等20年才能等到一条地铁线。
