(ECNS) -- A section on Tieli to Yichun of the Harbin-Yichun high-speed rail project, the main passage for passenger trains in the northernmost part of China, officially started construction on Thursday.
The Harbin-Yichun high-speed rail is the first of its kind crossing permafrost regions in China and also the northernmost high-speed railway under construction in China.
The Tieli-Yichun section is located in permafrost zone, so it is very difficult to drill into the ground in construction, said Xu Jian, a sub-project manager of China Railway 22nd Bureau Group.
The railway will not only cross permafrost regions, but also go through primeval forests and water conservation areas.
The environmental protection requirements are extremely high, and a number of technical problems need to be solved, said Ma Guochen, project commander with China Railway 22nd Bureau Group.
The Harbin-Yichun high-speed rail plays an important role in Heilongjiang's rapid railway network.
After completion of the project, cities like Suihua, Yichun in Heilongjiang will be fully included in the radiation range of Harbin's 1 hour and 2-hour economic circle, which can effectively promote industrial agglomeration, personnel exchanges and foreign trade cooperation of economic belts along China's railways.
