Railways
to link China`s Xinjiang with Central Asia
Urumpi,
Jan 27: China will construct two railways linking the western
Xinjiang region with the central Asian countries of Kyrgyzstan,
Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, sources with the regional government
of Xinjiang said.
The
6.2 billion yuan (USD 861 million) railway, linking Korgas
on the China-Kazakhstan border with China's inland railways,
would be completed this year. It will further extend westward
to join the Sary-Ozek railway of Kazakhstan, making it the
second cross-border rail link between the two countries.
The
new link will ease the burden of Alataw Pass, the largest
land port in northwest China, which handled five million tonnes
of train-laden exports last year, up by 60 percent from 2006,
sources attending the annual meeting on regional trade in
Urumqi said Saturday.
Meanwhile,
preparatory work has begun on the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan
Railway. The railway starts from Kashi (Kaxgar) in Xinjiang
and extends through Kyrgyzstan to Uzbekistan.
After
its completion in 2010, experts said the railway would provide
a faster link between western China and Central Asia and improve
the southern passageway of the new Euro-Asia continental bridge.
Currently,
the only railway linking Xinjiang with Central Asia is a 460
km line between Urumqi and Alataw Pass, where it connects
to Kazakhstan railways.
China
and its central Asian neighbours have been carrying out feasibility
studies to improve their railway network amid growing trade
in recent years.
Bureau
Report
www.zeenews.com
Prabuddha
Bharata>>>
Vedanta
Kesari>>>
Vedanta
Mass Media>>>
|