Construction of the world's highest railway which links the Tibet
Autonomous Region and
Qinghai
Province is on track with all technical preparations close to
being completed.
Fu
Zhihuan, minister of railways, said his ministry is building four
trial projects along frozen areas in Tibet which will provide them
with first-hand information ahead of large-scale construction next
year.
"With those live tests and thorough geographic research conducted
in the plateau over past decades, we are confident we will finish
the huge railway project with high quality and on time," Fu said at
a news conference held by the Information Office under the
State Council Wednesday.
His ministry has organized a construction team of 11,000 workers to
lay the track along the roof of the world with some local people
also involved in the project. After professional training, they
will lay the track close to their home towns.
The ministry has dispatched fully-equipped professional medical
teams to ensure workers' health and safety at high altitudes where
the air is thin.
Fifty people who suffered altitude sickness were taken to hospitals
at lower elevation while the rest adapted to the plateau
environment.
The ministry had invested a total of 770 million yuan (US$93
million) in the project by October, starting the construction of 55
bridges and three tunnels.
Fu
said his ministry attached great importance to the environment
protection of the plateau, and protective measures to preserve
vegetation and wildlife had been detailed to construction
units.
Wang Yuqing, vice-director of the State Environmental Protection
Administration, said his administration has kept close eye on the
impact the railway project is having on local ecology, and was
satisfied with the work so far.
"Construction must be in line with all the related environmental,
ecological and animal protection laws and regulations, and we will
supervise their work around the clock," Wang said.
Responding to questions about the investment in the railway, Zhang
Guobao, vice-minister of the
State Development Planning Commission, said the central
government would foot the entire 26 billion yuan (US$3.1 billion)
investment, and no foreign loans or special treasury bonds would be
required.
He
said the railway would provide an economic, fast and convenient
transport line for the Tibetan people, which will ultimately
promote the social and economic development of the region.
"A
reduction in travelling costs will enable more people to enjoy the
natural beauty and ancient culture of Tibet," he said.
The Qinghai-Tibet railway project was started this June and will
involve 1,142 km of track. It is due to be completed by 2007.
(China
Daily November 8, 2001)