Construction on the China section of the second cross-border railway between China and Mongolia entered a critical phase on Sunday, paving the way for enhanced bilateral trade and connectivity.

Invested and constructed by the State-owned China Energy Investment Corp (CHN Energy), the railway features a combined single-line design accommodating both standard and broad gauges. A total of 760 T-girders will be installed along the entire route, the company said.

Scheduled for completion and operation in 2027, the project is expected to boast an annual freight capacity of 30 million metric tons, which will significantly deepen infrastructural interconnectivity and bolster economic cooperation between the two neighboring countries.

However, constructing the railway has posed immense engineering challenges. Located deep within the harsh Gobi Desert, the project site is plagued by frequent dust storms and year-round gales, making high-altitude lifting and girder installation highly demanding.

To ensure safety and quality, the project team has deployed a slew of intelligent equipment and innovative techniques, including fully automated rebar processing, advanced tensioning and grouting equipment, and hydraulic side-form systems combined with mobile pedestals to guarantee the precise prefabrication of the massive concrete structures.

To date, approximately 26 percent of the project's offline substructure has been completed, with 268 T-girders already precast. The entire girder erection phase is on track to be finished by October this year, keeping the mega-project steadily on schedule.

zhengxin@chinadaily.com.cn