China has completed the construction of the world’s longest express tunnel through the Tianshan Mountains, according to a local news source.
The Tianshan Shengli Tunnel is just over 22 kilometers (14 miles) and will reduce the travel time through the mountain range in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, which is one of the longest stretches of mountains in the world, from three hours to only 20 minutes, China Daily reported.
Newsweek has contacted China Communications Construction Co., the company behind the building of the tunnel, via email for comment.
The construction site of the Tianshan Shengli Tunnel, the world’s longest expressway tunnel, on December 30, 2024, in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of China. The tunnel will reduce the travel time through the Tianshan… The construction site of the Tianshan Shengli Tunnel, the world’s longest expressway tunnel, on December 30, 2024, in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of China. The tunnel will reduce the travel time through the Tianshan Mountains from three hours to 20 minutes.
Gou Jipeng/VCG via AP
Why It Matters
The time-saving nature of the tunnel could give the region an economic boost, improving connectivity between northern and southern Xinjiang, while opening up the possibility to enhance connectivity of the region with Eurasian countries, promoting the country’s Silk Road Economic Belt strategy.
The initiative aims to boost trade and economic connectivity across Asia, Europe and beyond, through infrastructure development and investment in transportation networks, according to the World Economic Forum.
What to Know
On Monday, the construction of the Tianshan Shengli Tunnel was completed after its development began in April 2020, China Daily reported.
The completion of the tunnel was actually more than a year and a half ahead of schedule, the South Morning China Post reported, citing state media.
The project was reportedly riddled with challenges, given that workers were building the tunnel at an elevation of 3,000 meters (9,843 feet) in a mountainous region.
According to the China Daily report, the construction site was also close to the Tianshan No 1 Glacier and the Urumqi water source protection area, meaning the construction had to follow strict ecological protection standards.
Per the outlet, the tunnel is part of the almost 320 kilometer Urumqi-Yuli Expressway, which is scheduled to open for public use in 2025.
The expressway runs from the regional capital Urumqi in northern Xinjiang to Yuli County in southern Xinjiang.
The new tunnel will reduce the driving time between Urumqi and Yuli from around seven hours to just over three hours, according to China Daily.
What People Are Saying
Yang Dongdong, a member of the construction team, told China Daily. “I feel very emotional to see the tunneling work is finally over. It’s like seeing my child being born.”
Cui Jingchuan, president of China Communications Construction Xinjiang Transportation Investment and Development Co, told China Daily: “We have broken the technological monopoly of foreign countries in this field and taken the lead in innovation.”
What’s Next
According to China Daily, the regional government said the new tunnel will enhance connectivity between northern and southern Xinjiang, enabling greater career and development opportunities.
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