China will rebuild its underground utilities, including water and power supplies and heating systems, to expand urban carrying capacities and introduce more investment to boost growth.

Experts said they estimate the total investment needed for the rebuilding could reach 400 billion yuan ($64.4 billion) to 500 billion yuan.

Tang Min, former Asian Development Bank chief economist, said the initiative will become a major support to economic growth and add incentives to related industries such as cement, steel and other construction materials manufacturing during the continued sluggishness of the realty sector.

A State Council executive meeting presided over by Premier Li Keqiang on Tuesday decided to build or refurbish the urban underground pipeline gallery, a corridorlike underground infrastructure for the installation of power, water, heating, telecommunications, gas and other systems.

A summary released after the meeting said the project could improve a city's environment, increase carrying capacities and create dynamics for economic growth.

The underground projects will be open to social funds through franchising and will offer investment subsidies and discount loans to raise funds.

Social investors will be paid back by collecting an initial payment and maintenance fees from companies that build pipelines in the gallery. Fundraising will also include bonds and bills issued by development finance institutions.

The Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, the leading government organ in charge of underground construction, signed a framework agreement with the Jilin provincial government and China Development Bank last week to build a pilot underground pipeline network in China's rust belt in the northeast, where many public facilities are wearing out.

The pilot project in Jilin will include an underground network of 1,000 kilometers with an investment of 100 billion yuan by 2020, in a bid to establish a system with main channels and branch lines.

In addition, the central government hopes that, through the Jilin project, a new model of investment, management and supervision for building underground facilities can be set up and introduced to other places in the country, according to an article published on the website of Jilin's provincial government.

Minister of Housing and Urban-Rural Development Chen Zhenggao said in an earlier interview that the building of an underground pipeline network is not only an economic booster, but will also improve safety.

"The ill-planned underground pipelines are a major reason for an increase in urban flooding during torrential rains in recent years," he said.

Tuesday's meeting of the State Council also passed a draft anti-domestic-violence law. The draft, the first of its kind in the country, clarifies that family members exposed to the threat of violence can receive a protection order.

The draft will be submitted to the National People's Congress Standing Committee for further readings.

zhaoyinan@chinadaily.com.cn