Aerial photo taken on July 25, 2022 shows workers at the construction site of a super major bridge along the Harbin-Yichun high-speed railway, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province. Crossing permafrost regions, the Harbin-Yichun high-speed railway will total approximately 300 kilometers, connecting the cities of Harbin, Suihua, and Yichun.(Photo: Xinhua)

China is conducting a nationwide repair and maintenance of the country's railway network and equipment, especially major links including the Beijing-Kowloon Railway and the Lanzhou-Lianyungang Railway to ensure smooth passenger and cargo transport during winter and the Spring Festival travel rush.

Starting from Friday, China Railway Jinan Group Co has deployed over 50 large maintenance machines and more than 200 workers for the repair of the Shandong section of Beijing-Kowloon Railway. They will repair or replace railway switches and cross-sleepers that have been worn out or have achieved their service life, China Central Television (CCTV) reported.

The Beijing-Kowloon Railway is a major channel for the transport of energy between northern and southern China, and accordingly has high standard for rail equipment. Tasks like replacing railway switches and cross-sleepers will ensure smooth and safe operation of trains, said Li Chengpeng, a staff member of the company.

In addition, China Railway Nanchang Group Co Ltd has deployed over 2,400 workers and more than 100 large maintenance machines for 20-day maintenance work in the Jiangxi section of the Beijing-Kowloon Railway. They plan to replace 66.1 kilometers of rails and clean roadbed of 38.4 kilometers, CCTV reported.

By the end of 2021, the operating length of China's high-speed railway network had exceeded 40,000 kilometers. The country plans to launch new rail lines totaling 3,300 kilometers this year, according to the Ministry of Transport.

Global Times