The Lhasa-Shigatse railway completed connection with Qinghai-Tibet railway successfully at 22:18 p.m. on May 20, 2013. [Photo/Xinhua]

Accompanying with the sound of firecrackers, the Lhasa-Shigatse railway completed connection with Qinghai-Tibet railway successfully at 22:18 p.m. on May 20, 2013, according to the China Tibet News.

"The connection between Lhasa-Shigatse railway and Qinghai-Tibet railway demonstrates that the sky road - Qinghai-Tibet railway extends 257 kilometers to Shigatse," said Li Yong, the chief commander of the Lhasa-Shigatse railway.

The Lhasa-Shigatse railway project has been completed 70 percent. The "two railway stations and one block post" reconstruction project, including Lhasa Railway Station, Lhasa West Railway Station and the Liu Wu block post, has been the largest reconstruction project in the construction of Lhasa-Shigatse railway project.

The formal connection between Qinghai-Tibet railway and Lhasa-Shigatse railway provides favorable conditions for transporting the follow-up goods, materials and equipments through the Qinghai-Tibet railway to the construction site of the Lhasa-Shigatse railway and lays the foundation of opening the railway line on schedule.

The railway reconstruction project was organized by the general headquarters of Lhasa-Shigatse railway, cooperating with the Lhasa Railway Station of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway Company and departments of public service, electric service, machine works, vehicle and safety supervisions. Altogether over 2,000 workers joined in this reconstruction project.

It is reported that by April 25, 2013, the subgrade earthwork of Lhasa-Shigatse railway had been completed 98.37 percent. The bridge foundation of the railway had been fully completed. The tunnel excavation had accumulated 71,117 meters, accounting for 98.22 percent of the total length. The track-laying had been completed 99.3 kilometers, accounting for 33.58 percent of the whole project.