Work set to begin on Laos-China railway this month
Construction of the Laos-China railway will start this month, with work to begin in several provinces simultaneously, an official in charge of the project has said. This approach will ensure that construction of the historic rail line, linking Vientiane to the Chinese border over a distance of 427km, is completed within the five-year target period. The construction cost is estimated at almost US$6 billion. Director of the Laos-China Railway construction project and Director of the Lao National Railway Company, Dr Koung Souk-Aloun, told Vientiane Times on November 29 that construction equipment and machinery are in place to start drilling tunnels for the northernmost section of the track. We have signed agreements with Chinese construction companies and consultancy firms who are preparing to start construction very soon, Dr Koung said. We will start work in several places at the same time to ensure that all construction work is carried out and completed according to plan. Dr Koung said the authorities are in the process of making compensation payments to families who will h ave to abandon their property to make way for the railway and a lot of progress has been made in Vientiane province in this respect.
