The construction of transport infrastructure is conducive to the connectivity between provinces and regions. Recently, the network reporter learned from the Beihai Development and Reform Commission that the preliminary work of Hepu to Zhanjiang Railway has made new progress: The feasibility study report on project adjustment has recently been approved by the National Development and Reform Commission. This means that the people of Beihai City have been looking forward to more than 10 years to the real construction of the He-Zhan railway has taken substantial steps.

Project profile

It is understood that the Hepu-Zhanjiang railway is a part of the national 14th Five-Year Plan to build Shanghai through Ningbo to Hepu coastal high-speed rail, is an important part of the national eight vertical and eight horizontal high-speed rail network eight longitudinal Bao Yinhai channel and coastal channel, is a major infrastructure project connecting the Beibu Gulf economic zone and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

The total length of the main line is 141.7 kilometers, the railway grade is high-speed railway, the design speed is 350 kilometers per hour, the total investment is about 25.7 billion yuan, the construction period is 4 years. After the completion of the project, it will greatly shorten the access time between Beihai and the Greater Bay Area, which is of great significance to promoting the integration of the Beibu Gulf Economic Zone into the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and promoting East-West cooperation.

The reporter learned that the National Development and Reform Commission had approved the Hezhan railway project proposal as early as February 2011, and approved the feasibility study report of the Hezhan railway project according to the 200km/h speed standard in April 2015. The former China Railway Corporation, the People's Government of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and the People's Government of Guangdong Province also jointly approved the preliminary design of the project in August 2015.

However, considering that the Hezhan railway is an integral part of China's cross-regional high-speed railway skeleton network, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, after consulting with Guangdong Province, sent a letter to the former China Railway Corporation, suggesting that the Hezhan railway be adjusted to a passenger dedicated line with a speed of 250 kilometers per hour.

In November 2016, the adjustment of the 250km/h speed standard of the project was submitted to the National Development and Reform Commission for approval, and the National Development and Reform Commission organized an expert and industry review in May 2017.

In April 2018, in order to build the Hainan International Free Trade Zone (Hong Kong) to the southwest and northwest areas of China's inland rapid passenger transport main corridor, and build a high-speed railway that is unified with the standards of other planned routes including Yinhai and Guangzhan within the corridor, Guangdong Province, after consultation with Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, sent a letter to China National Railway Group. It is also proposed to adjust the design standard of Hezhan railway to a passenger dedicated line with a speed of 350km/h, and the National Railway Group will complete the review of the feasibility of the 350km/h design standard adjustment of the project in December 2019.

Due to the design speed standard has been adjusted three times, coupled with other reasons, resulting in the Hezhan railway from the project so far more than 10 years, there has been no major progress. The relevant person in charge of the Beihai Development and Reform Commission said that the autonomous region and our city have done a lot of work all the time. Recently, city leaders have also repeatedly visited the National Development and Reform Commission and the National Railway Group to visit the progress of the docking project and win support from superiors. Recently, the project adjustment feasibility study report was approved, will accelerate the promotion of HeZhan railway construction as soon as possible.Editor/Ma Xue