China begins construction of Qinghai-Tibet railway
( 2001-06-29 15:22 ) (9 )

Qinghai-Tibet railway

The construction of the Qinghai-Tibet railway kicked off on Friday, giving Tibet an easier access to the rest of the country.

Opening ceremonies were held in Golmud City in Northwest China's Qinghai Province and in Lhasa of Tibet to mark the start of construction of the Qinghai-Tibet railway.

The 1,118-kilometer railway, the first railway linking up Tibet with other regions of the country, will extend from Lhasa to Golmud and will be the longest railway built on highlands in the world.

More than 960 kilometers, or four-fifths of the railway, will be built at an altitude of more than 4,000 meters and half of the railway will be laid on permafrost.

Tibet at present can only be accessed by air or via tortuous roads.

The railway is expected to be completed in six years.