Beijing began reconstruction of its 109-year-old southern railway station with a controlled explosion on Saturday morning to make way for its modern replacement.

The project includes new tracks as well as a new station building, according to the Beijing Railway Bureau.

The Beijing South Railway Station was closed on Wednesday and all trains in and out were diverted to three other stations in the city.

The city will invest 6.3 billion yuan (US$787.5 million) in a new terminus serving high-speed trains due to be completed in 2007.

The new station, 500 meters from its original location, will cover 26,000 square meters, the second largest in the city after the Beijing West Railway Station.

With 13 platforms and 24 tracks, it will serve the inter-city line between Beijing and Tianjin and the Beijing-Shanghai high-speed railway.

The original Beijing South Railway Station was built in 1897 and underwent a major renovation in 1958. Before its closure, it served mainly slow trains on the Beijing-Guangdong line.

(Xinhua News Agency May 15, 2006)