Digging work on two tunnel that will form part of the Guiyang-Guangzhou railway line started on 1 February, signalling the beginning of construction of the 857km line between the capital cities of Guizhou and Guangdong provinces. The inter-city line with double electrified tracks is one of the major rail projects in the 11th five-year plan.
The high-speed line will cater for both passengers and cargo and will take six years to complete at an estimated cost of Rmb85.8bn. It will connect with the Chongqing-Guiyang New Line by 2015. The 67km-long New Line, costing Rmb7bn, will also be double-tracked and will cater for containers as well as passengers. Both projects are crucial elements of the central government’s ambitious plan to extend the national rail network to the interior.