CHONGQING (CQNEWS) -- How amazing is the rail transit in Chongqing? A train can be seen to travel through buildings, mountains and rivers. According to Chongqing City Transportation Development & Investment Group Co., Ltd., the temporary site of the interval ventilation shaft (and shield-construction origination shaft) constructed for rail transit Express Line 27 (civil engineering bid 08) from Chongqing Station to Houbao Station has been officially taken over and the on-site construction has been started. This has created situations for the construction of the first rail transit underwater tunnel in Chongqing.

With a total length of 48 kilometers, the Express Line 27 will travel at a designed speed of 140 kilometers per hour. Both of its ends will be connected with municipal (suburban) railways for operation. Chongqing City Transportation Development & Investment Group Co., Ltd. is the project owner.

There will be 14 stations along the line, among which 13 stations will be underground and 1 elevated station will be built at Bitong Station. The 14 stations are (temporarily named as): Bishan Station, Huxi Station, Daxuecheng South Station, Zhaishanping Station, Xiyong Station, Ciqikou Station, Shapingba Station, Shiqiaopu Station, Daping West Station, Chongqing Station, Houbao Station, Nanping Station, Guangfu Avenue Station and Chongqing East Station.

At the section from Chongqing Station to Houbao Station, the underwater tunnel will be built for the Express Line 27 to travel across the Yangtze River. This will be not only the first rail transit underwater tunnel in Chongqing, but also the first tunnel in China that will be built underneath the surface of the Yangtze River by adopting the “double-mode intelligent shield”. The construction will be conducted between 47.6-51.4 meters under the normal water level. The underwater tunnel will stretch for 802 meters and serve as a part of the full-line control node duration.

According to the responsible officer from Chongqing Municipal Commission of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, the rail transit Express Line 27 will stretch over three trough valleys on the east and west sides of Chongqing’s downtown areas, connecting three railway passenger stations (Chongqing East Station, Chongqing Station and Shapingba Station), three business areas (Nanping, Daping and Shapingba). In this way, the Express Line 27 will propel the development of business areas including Shapingba, Daping, Nanping, Chayuan, and University Town, and the development of populated areas. That’s how Chongqing can realize the rapid transformation of traffic inside and outside the city and improve the efficiency of rail transit. (Translated by Huang Ziming, Fathom Language Limited)