Chongqing plans to build third railway station

By Yang Lifei  |   2008-8-7  |     ONLINE EDITION

CHONGQING Municipality will invest 3.7 billion yuan (US$528.8 million) to build a national level railway station.

The station in Shapingba District will have a capacity of 21.9 million passengers annually. A previous report said Chongqing No. 3 Passenger Transport Station will be put into use in 2012, Eastday.com reported today.

Chongqing already has two railway stations. Chongqing Railway Station in Yuzhong District handles about 1 million passengers annually. The first phase of Chongqing North Railway Station was finished in October 2006 and the second phase is still under construction. This railway station is expected to serve 7.3 million passengers every year when completed.

Chongqing is aiming to become one of five national railway centers. Huang Qifan, depute mayor of Chongqing, said in a press conference last month that the city would build 1,100 kilometers or tracks by 2012. ``There will be eight railway lines across the city, all of which are double lined. Thus the transport capacity will be doubled,'' the report quoted him as saying.

Chongqing is on its way to becoming western China's transport hub. In addition to railway construction, express highways, aviation and shipping infrastructure are key projects in its urban planning, the report said.