A paper of environmental impact assessment announcement has once again brought this dormant railway to the border into the public eye. The expansion and renovation project of the 403 kilometer Siping Meihekou Ji'an railway has officially entered the countdown to construction after the feasibility study was approved. This is not only a repair of historical debts, but also a key achievement in strengthening the railway network in the eastern part of Northeast China.

From colonial ruins to the Great Wall of Steel

The Simeiji Railway, founded in the 1920s and 1930s, was once the backbone of transportation in the eastern part of Northeast China, but now it is struggling due to low technical standards and frequent diseases.

This is not only a railway, but also a barrier to national security. As an important border railway, its renovation is of great significance for stabilizing the border and enhancing the supply of railway services between China and North Korea. At the same time, it is also a blood transfusion tube for regional economy, which will help transform Jilin's old industrial base and promote the rise of the southeastern urban agglomeration. With the joint approval of feasibility studies by China Railway Group and the governments of two provinces, this century old railway finally has the opportunity for a complete rejuvenation.

Thread needles and lead wires in sensitive areas

The difficulty of engineering lies not in technical climbing, but in ecological protection.

The construction environment within Jilin Province can be regarded as a sensitive area of luxurious configuration: not only must it avoid the Goguryeo World Cultural Heritage, but it must also cross four drinking water source protection areas, three ecological protection red lines, and take care of rare aquatic organisms such as the Ishikawa's philosopher fish unique to the Yalu River.

Environmental protection is not a slogan, but a hard target. The report shows that by strengthening construction period management and targeted protection measures, the adverse impact of engineering construction on the environment can be controlled. This is a delicate job of catching mice in a porcelain shop, which requires not only gold and silver, but also green mountains and clear waters.

Minimally invasive surgery worth 4.47 billion yuan

Unlike the construction of a new high-speed railway, this renovation is more like a precise minimally invasive surgery.

The entire line will maintain a single track and internal combustion traction, with a design speed of 80-100 kilometers per hour. However, the lining will be completely renovated: 9 tunnels need to be repaired within the limit (3 new ones will be built), 582 roadbed defects need to be cured, and 71 bridges need to be reinforced and strengthened.

It is worth noting that the project is not a one size fits all approach, but is divided into two stages: the construction period from Siping to Yayuan is 1.5 years, and the construction period from Yayuan to Ji'an is 2.5 years.

The total investment is 4.47 billion yuan, and every penny is spent wisely. Keywords: railway expansion, infrastructure construction

When the whistle echoes through the valley again, this railway will no longer be a dust of history, but a steel artery connecting the past and the future, border defense and the hinterland. For Jilin, this is not only an upgrade of infrastructure, but also a new engine for revitalization and development.Editor/Cheng Liting