On November 4, the reporter learned from Sichuan Provincial Development and Reform Commission that the National Development and Reform Commission had approved the feasibility study report on Chengdu-Dazhou-Wanzhou High-Speed Railway.

　　The railwayis the first major project to be commenced since the state issued the Implementation Plan of Promoting the Construction of High-Speed Railways Along the River in Yangtze River Economic Belt. The accelerated construction marks the substantial effectiveness of the implementation of national strategies in Sichuan, such as Yangtze River Economic Belt and Chengdu-Chongqing economic circle.

　　Chengdu-Dazhou-Wanzhou High-Speed Railway starts from the Tianfu Station of Chengdu-Zigong high-speed railway under construction. After reaching the Ziyang West Station of Chengdu-Zigong high-speed railway, the new railway will lead to Kaizhou and Wanzhou in Chongqing via Ziyang, Suining, Nanchong and Dazhou in Sichuan before it finally ends at Wanzhou North railway station. The whole line is 486.4 km long, of which 432.4 km will be newly built; as supporting works, Tianfu EMU Operation Station will be extended, a 15.4 km-long section of the existing Dazhou-Chengdu Railway will be reconstructed, and a 4km-long connection line of Suining- Chengdu Railway will be newly built.

　　With 13 stations on the whole line, the total investment of the project is 85.1 billion yuan, and the construction period is fiveyears.

　　After the completion of Chengdu-Dazhou-Wanzhou High-Speed Railway, two major high-speed railway channels will be formed: connecting Zhengzhou-Chongqing High-speed Railway at Wanzhou to join the connection line from Yichang to Zhengzhou-Chongqing High-speed Railway, Wuhan-Yichang, Jingmen-Yichang, Wuhan-Jingmen, Wuhan-Hefei, Shanghai-Hefei and other high-speed railways to form a northern high-speed railway corridor along the river; connecting Chongqing-Xi'an High-speed Railway at Dazhou to join high-speed railways such as Chongqing-Xi'an, Zhengzhou-Xi'an and Beijing-Guangzhou so as to form a Chengdu-Beijing high-speed railway corridor. Then, the travel time from Chengdu to Shanghai and Beijing will be shortened to less than sevenhours respectively.

　　Next, SichuanProvincial Development and Reform Commission (Sichuan Railway and Airport Construction Office) will ensure the project is commenced within this year, and accelerate the promotion of global, strategic and key railway projects, such as Chengdu-Chongqing Middle Line High-Speed Railway, Chongqing-Xi'an High-speed Railway, and the Longchang-Xuyong section of Longchang-Huangtong Railway.