Jane Chen / Shanghai Daily news
After eight months of construction, Pudong's first railway is ready to
commence services to the Yangshan Deep-Water Port, just in time for the port's
opening next month.
The railway passed preliminary tests yesterday.
Making
the finishing touches, workers are busy testing the signals, telecommunications
and power systems along the line.
The railway, which is the first-stage of
the Pudong railway project, stretches for 42.87 kilometers and connects the East
China railway network at Caojing station with Luchao Port, which in turn is
linked to the deep-water port on Yangshan island by the Donghai Bridge.
The bridge is the country's first cross-sea bridge and will also open to
traffic next month.
The Pudong railway is designed to pass through several
districts across the city, including Jinshan, Fengxian and Nanhui, and transport
containers to and from Yangshan port on the East China Sea and the mainland.
It also connects to the Shanghai Chemical Industry Park.
The government
has invested about 7.6 billion yuan (US$916 million) to start the railway
project and the whole project is due for completion by 2006.