Railroad work begins

WORK on the Guangzhou-Zhuhai Railroad first control project Hutiaomen Bridge commenced in Doumen District last Monday, kicking off the “No. 1 Project” in a new round of development for Zhuhai, according to a government official.
Gan Lin, secretary of the CPC Municipal Committee, inaugurated the opening ceremony. Mayor Zhong Shijian offered appreciation, on behalf of the municipal Party Committee and government, to the authorities, departments concerned and cities along the railway for their support. He pointed out that the Guangzhou-Zhuhai Railroad is of great significance for boosting Zhuhai’s harbour construction and economic and social development in the western Guangdong areas. He pledged that Zhuhai would lend support and provide assistance to ensure its progress and completion.
Connecting Doumen District in Zhuhai, and Xinhui Town in Jiangmen, with 63 spans, the 2,507m bridge has a steel-structured basket handle arch with three successive bridge openings as long as 120, 248 and 120 metres respectively. The 248m-basket handle arch is the longest one in Asia, an expert explained.
The railway builder, China Railway Sixth Bureau Group Corp, said it would make the project a key task in 2008 and complete soft roadbed and grading in a year, tunnels in two years and bridges in three years.
With full length reaching 189.376km, the railroad will be merged into the trunk railway network upon completion and handle bulk cargos. The fifth section, as long as 63.225km with 10 tunnels and 31 bridges, will enter Doumen District, pass through Zhugang Avenue and move southward to Gaolan Port, the terminal station.
Bridge pile set-up began at 11am. It would take seven days to drill for the pilings and the depth would reach 21 metres, a worker explained.