The project would significantly contribute to the economic and social development of the western region, especially in Sichuan province and Tibet Autonomous Region, Xi said.
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Sunday gave orders to officials to speed up the construction of the new $47.8 billion railway project connecting the country's southwest Sichuan province to Linzhi in Tibet close to the Indian border in Arunachal Pradesh.
The Sichuan-Tibet Railway will go through the southeast of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, one of the world's most geologically active areas, according to the Chinese official media. It will travel through Ya'an and enters Tibet via Qamdo, and therefore shorten the travel time from Chengdu to Lhasa from 48 hours to 13 hours.
The railway line starts from the capital of Sichuan province, Chengdu
It is the second railway line in Tibet after the Qinghai-Tibet Railway project.
Linzhi, also known as Nyingchi, is located close to the Arunachal Pradesh border.
The railway line in the Ya'an-Linzhi section runs,011 km with 26 stations, with trains running at speeds between 120 and 200 kms per hour.
The entire cost of construction of the project is around 319.8 billion yuan (USD 47.8 billion), according to a recent report by the state-run Global Times.
The state-run Xinhua news agency reported that Xi-Jinping gave the orders at the beginning of the construction of the Sichuan-Tibet Railway's Ya'an-Nyingchi section on Sunday. He said that the major reason behind the construction of the Sichuan-Tibet Railway is safeguarding border stability. It will also help to boost the overall economic development of the Tibet region.
He further emphasised the fact that the construction should be carried out in a scientific, safe, and eco-friendly way.
The project would significantly contribute to the economic and social development of the western region, especially in Sichuan province and Tibet Autonomous Region, Xi said.
The development comes as India and China are engaged in a bitter border dispute along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
India and China have been engaged in a seven-month-long standoff at the LAC. Despite several levels of dialogue, there has not been any breakthrough and the deadlock continues.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Chinese President Xi-Jinping")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}