Graft-linked faults require rail routes' repair
By Li Qian |
August 9, 2012, Thursday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
TWELVE Chinese rail routes are expected to be rebuilt or halt operations to undergo an overhaul as the projects were found to contain severe quality problems and security loopholes, the Ministry of Railways said.
Seven rail lines have opened to traffic, including the Ningbo-Taizhou-Wenzhou route - which witnessed the deadly Wenzhou train crash in July 2011 in which 40 died - while five other routes are still under the construction.
Contractors who illegally paid kickbacks to win lucrative contracts and subcontracted projects to unlicensed companies resulted in jerry-built construction and posed severe hazards, 21st Century Business Herald reported yesterday.
The ministry has vowed that any companies and officials involved in illegality would be punished. Some construction companies were banned temporarily from hiring subcontractors.
According to ministry documents, four projects, including two major lines linking the cities of Wuhan and Guangzhou, and Zhengzhou and Xi'an, respectively, had cracks, water leaks and blocks that suddenly fell from the top of the railway tunnels.
The report of the fatal Wenzhou train crash showed the construction company placed cables in Wenzhou Railway Station in a disorderly fashion and failed to meet national standards.
In the cases of five lines being built in provinces and regions of Gansu, Xinjiang, Jiangxi, Guizhou and Shanxi, workers skimped on construction materials and didn't follow rules, the ministry said.
For example, an industry expert quoted by the newspaper said the amount of cement was at times shorted when making a standard amount of concrete. "It takes 420 kilograms of cement to make concrete but workers usually just use 250 kilograms, which greatly lowers the quality. Some workers fear causing severe safety accidents and use 350 kilograms to avoid being discovered," the unnamed expert said.
Wang Mengshu, vice general engineer from China Railway Tunnel Stock Co Ltd, attributed the poor constructions mainly to illegal subcontracting.
The Discipline Inspection Committee of China's State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission in July ordered five state-owned enterprises that have participated in railway projects to check for possible violations.
In November 2011, even a group of cooks were found to have been subcontracted in the Yusong Railway project and what they built was proved to be substandard and not acceptable.
Seven rail lines have opened to traffic, including the Ningbo-Taizhou-Wenzhou route - which witnessed the deadly Wenzhou train crash in July 2011 in which 40 died - while five other routes are still under the construction.
Contractors who illegally paid kickbacks to win lucrative contracts and subcontracted projects to unlicensed companies resulted in jerry-built construction and posed severe hazards, 21st Century Business Herald reported yesterday.
The ministry has vowed that any companies and officials involved in illegality would be punished. Some construction companies were banned temporarily from hiring subcontractors.
According to ministry documents, four projects, including two major lines linking the cities of Wuhan and Guangzhou, and Zhengzhou and Xi'an, respectively, had cracks, water leaks and blocks that suddenly fell from the top of the railway tunnels.
The report of the fatal Wenzhou train crash showed the construction company placed cables in Wenzhou Railway Station in a disorderly fashion and failed to meet national standards.
In the cases of five lines being built in provinces and regions of Gansu, Xinjiang, Jiangxi, Guizhou and Shanxi, workers skimped on construction materials and didn't follow rules, the ministry said.
For example, an industry expert quoted by the newspaper said the amount of cement was at times shorted when making a standard amount of concrete. "It takes 420 kilograms of cement to make concrete but workers usually just use 250 kilograms, which greatly lowers the quality. Some workers fear causing severe safety accidents and use 350 kilograms to avoid being discovered," the unnamed expert said.
Wang Mengshu, vice general engineer from China Railway Tunnel Stock Co Ltd, attributed the poor constructions mainly to illegal subcontracting.
The Discipline Inspection Committee of China's State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission in July ordered five state-owned enterprises that have participated in railway projects to check for possible violations.
In November 2011, even a group of cooks were found to have been subcontracted in the Yusong Railway project and what they built was proved to be substandard and not acceptable.
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