SteelOrbis Shanghai
According to the announcement made by China's Ministry of Railways at a recent press conference, the new medium- and long-term adjusted development scheme for China's railway network was approved by the Chinese government on October 31. According to the new scheme, the total length of operating railways in China will be increased to 120,000 km and even above, extended from the previously targeted 100,000 km. Specifically, the total length of passenger transportation lines will be adjusted from 12,000 km to 16,000 km, while electrified railways are scheduled to account for 60 percent instead of 50 percent of the total.
As expressed by the Ministry of Railways, transportation capacity is and will continue to be in the long term an issue of importance for China. Even if the length of operating railways is extended to 120,000 km, this will still be too low for China.
The four major areas in the Adjusted Development Scheme are as follows:
Firstly, the expansion of the express passenger railway network. The express passenger network, which is composed of passenger dedicated line, urban mass transit and mixed passenger and freight express line, will be expanded by 20,000 kilometers to 50,000 kilometers according to the new blueprint. Meanwhile, the length of passenger dedicated line and urban mass transit is both targeted to above 160,000 kilometers. This express passenger railway network in question links the capitals of all provinces and big cities with population of over 500,000, representing 90 percent of the total.
Secondly, to promote the exploitation and development of new lines, especially in the western region of China. It has been pointed out in the Adjustment Scheme that the western China's railway network is to be expanded while the central and eastern China's railway network layout needs to be improved. Furthermore, the to-be-developed rail lines will be adjusted to 41,000 kilometers from 16,000 kilometers. There will be some new rail lines connecting abroad. The international railway networks in the northeast, northwest and southwest is also to be upgraded.
Thirdly, to establish large-scaled inter-regional rail lines which will focus on coal transportation. In the scope of ten largest coal transportation bases as well as Xinjiang province, we must reinforce and improve the coal transits and speed up the expansion projects regarding the existing railroads such as DaQin line. Additionally, coal transportation lines in Shanxi, Shaanxi and Inner Mongolia will be increased in order to achieve direct connections with inner regions, i.e., Eastern China and Central South China. On the other hand, there will be some new coal transportation lines built in Xinjiang district where coal transportation capacity will be increased to 2.3 billion mt per year accordingly to the new scheme.
Fourthly, to reconstruct the existing railways in large scale. As planned in the Adjustment Scheme, the second line construction scale will be adjusted from 13,000 kilometers to 19,000 kilometers, while the electric line construction goal is corrected to 25,000 kilometers.