Rails began to be laid on June 25 as major construction of Zhuhai Airport Urban Rail Transit Phase I from Gongbei to Hengqin New Area moved closer toward completion by the end of next month.

All 400-m (437-yd) steel rails will be transported to the construction site by mid-July after being welded at the Honghai Rail Welding Plant, which is administered by China Railway Guangzhou Group. An overhead contact system will be installed as the very next step.

Rails to Hengqin

The urban rail transit project extends the Guangzhou-Zhuhai Intercity MRT. The first phase runs 16.86 km (10 miles) from Intercity MRT Zhuhai Station to Chimelong International Ocean Resort through Wanzai North, Wanzai, Shizimen, Financial Island, and Hengqin Island. The section is expected to pass static acceptance inspection on Aug 31 and become operational on Nov 20.

Meanwhile, the second phase, which runs 23 km (14 miles) from Hengqin to the Zhuhai (Jinwan) Airport, is to be completed by January 2023. Designed with speed of 100 to 160 kmph (62 to 99 mph), the MRT line will cut travel time between Gongbei and the airport to half an hour.

Rail-laying underway [Photos by Chen Lin / Zhuhai Daily]