The railways that were once slowly developing in China are today the world leader in terms of passenger and freight transport. Since the Chengdu-Chongqing high-speed rail line, which was the first railway line in the country, went into operation in 1953, China has been investing heavily in expanding its rail network and shortening travel time.
By building the Baotou-Lanzhou railway, the first line to cross the desert, the Qinghai-Tibet railway, which maintains the altitude and length record in the world, China has steadily built the national high-speed rail line consisting of eight east-west and eight north-south lines, as well as overcoming the technological challenges. progressing in the way.
Today, China's rail network stretches from deserts to cities, from plateaus to plains, to almost every corner of the country. The length of China's high speed train lines has reached 30 thousand kilometers. This is twice the total length of high speed lines in other parts of the world.
The speed of the trains has also increased by about 70 times in the last 6 years.
So, what is the secret of this dramatic development in railways in China? Unlike some developed countries where the motivation for building new railways is to make a profit, the desire to improve the quality of life and opportunities of the people lies behind infrastructure development in China.
For example, in China, Chengdu-Kunming railway was built on difficult terrain to strengthen the transport facilities of ethnic minorities. The railway line passing through 991 bridges and 427 tunnels is known as an engineering wonder.
However, putting accessibility before profit does not necessarily mean a bad investment. China has set certain standards for high-speed rail lines, railways crossing plateaus, heavy freight transport and railways in harsh conditions. This standardization also resulted in huge savings.
In the report titled "Development of High Speed Rail Networks in China" published by the World Bank, it was pointed out that the construction cost of high-speed train networks in China corresponds to two-thirds of the amount in other countries, and the price of train tickets corresponds to one-quarter to one-fifth of other countries. It was stated that it was realized thanks to the standardization in the process. In the report, it was stated that when the traffic density is also added, this means high return on investment.
In the report of the World Bank, “In 2015, the return on investment of high speed train networks in China is estimated at 8 percent. This ratio is well above the capital opportunity cost of China and most other countries' investments in large-scale and long-term infrastructure projects. statements were included. The high rate of return also accelerated China's development by increasing investments in the railway.
China's high speed of development astounds the world. Railway construction also reflects the foundation of China's 70-year rapid development journey.
Source: China International Radio / Hibya
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