China to build railway to northwestern Tibetan prefecture

Source: Xinhua | 03-18-2009 17:16

HEZUO, Gansu Province, March 18 (Xinhua) -- A railway linking the Gannan Tibetan Prefecture in northwestern China's Gansu province to its capital Lanzhou is to be built, announced local authorities on Wednesday.

Construction of the 174.2 kilometer long railway will cost 8.75 billion yuan (about 1.3 billion U.S. dollars).

Work will begin at the end of this year and is expected to be complete in three years, said Li Zhiyong, an official with the Gannan Prefecture Commission of Development and Reform.

"We hope the railway could finish earlier," he said.

According to Li, the exact route of the railway will be decided before this May. It is expected to handle trains with speeds of 160 kilometers per hour after its completion.