The National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee has included an amendment to the Railway Law in its legislative plan this year amid calls for a strong legal guarantee for the sector's development in the new era.

The law came into force on May 1, 1991 and was revised twice in 2009 and 2015. Despite the important role it has played over the past 30 years, the law faces a new environment that features the railway sector's deepened reform and the rapid development of a multi-level rail transit network that includes main line railways, intercity railways and urban and suburban rail lines.

Calling for amending the law, a motion submitted to the fifth session of the 13th NPC this year said the current law doesn't apply to the suburban railways, which are mainly used as intracity commuter lines and operate differently from conventional passenger trains.  

The motion suggested adding a provision to specify that the administration of suburban railways shall be formulated by local people's governments in line with a directive endorsed by the State Council in 2020.

Specified provision, which clarifies that provincial-level governments are responsible for the administration of local railways, is also needed, the motion suggested.