SYDNEY: Following its successful 2032 Olympic bid last year, the Australian city of Brisbane has begun construction on a nearly 2.6 billion Australian dollars (about 1.9 billion U.S. dollars) train network upgrade. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced on Tuesday that the major project would deliver faster rail services between the state’s capital and surrounding areas, serving as a key link between Brisbane and the Gold Coast — two of the major locations where Olympic events would take place. The new construction is also expected to aid the state’s COVID-19 economic recovery. “My government is committed to seeing transport times between the Gold Coast and Brisbane reduced, as we continue to see the population increase in key suburban areas along the rail corridor,” said Palaszczuk.