On March 12, 2021, during the Arbor Day, there is such a “major country project”, which is closely related to tree planting and sand control. In the Taklimakan Desert, the second largest mobile desert in the world, the He-Ruo Railway is under construction with a 2 km/day The track laying speed is advancing. At present, 45% of the track-laying tasks have been completed, and there is another important task that is being carried out simultaneously with the track-laying tasks. The Heruo Railway is a key national controlled project, connecting Hotan in southern Xinjiang with Ruoqiang County in Bayingoleng Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture, with a total length of 825 kilometers. About three-quarters of the roads pass through mobile deserts, so windbreak and sand fixation have become a challenge for construction work.

The railway department has taken a variety of measures to promote the main track laying project at the same time to avoid sandstorms to bury the roadbed and tracks.

The railway department adopts the method of “sand barrier + grass grid”, using reeds, straws, etc. to establish a high-low-combination multi-layer sand-resisting system, each layer of sand-resisting barriers is left with appropriate gaps to prevent the formation of a “wind choke wall due to over-density” "It is difficult to withstand strong winds.

The multi-layer sand blocking system gradually slows down the passing speed of wind and sand, and controls the wind and sand in the range away from the railway, effectively avoiding the impact of moving wind and sand on construction.

In the Taklimakan Desert, one-third of the year is windy and sandy. Even a 1.5-meter high sand barrier is often buried for most of the year. Therefore, the railway department planted Haloxylon ammodendron, Tamarisk, Populus euphratica and other crops between sand barriers and grass grids, which are easy to grow in the desert, to enhance the sand control effect by means of plant sand fixation.

In order to improve the survival rate of sand-fixing plants, the railway department selected local seedlings and planted and maintained them under the guidance of a local experienced planting team, which effectively guaranteed the sand-fixing effect of the plants.

At the same time, the railway department has combined sand control work with local poverty alleviation work, and actively encouraged the recruitment of local farmers and poor families to participate in seedling cultivation, grass cutting, etc., which increased the economic income of local residents.

During the Spring Festival this year, the railway department has accelerated the construction progress. At present, the Heruo Railway and the terminal station has been laid and it is expected to be completed and opened to traffic in June next year.

After the completion of the Heruo Railway, it will be connected with the Geku Railway and the Southern Xinjiang Railway to form a circular railway line in the Tarim Basin, ending the history of no trains in Luopu, Cele, Yutian, Minfeng, and Qiemo counties.

The people of Hotan can go out of Xinjiang through Ruoqiang and pass through Qinghai directly to inland cities. There is no need to detour Turpan and the journey out of Xinjiang will be shortened by more than 1,000 kilometers. The journey time of local people from Qiemo County to Korla City by train will be shortened from about 12 hours by car to 6 hours.

Local agricultural and sideline products such as red dates will also open up sales channels with the increase in transportation capacity. At the same time, transportation costs will be cut by half, bringing good economic benefits to the local area. Editor/Wang Jiangwen