The Qinghai-Xizang Railway, the world's longest high-altitude railway, has played a vital role in protecting the region's fragile alpine ecosystem, in addition to bringing economic and social benefits to the local people.
The railway, entered operation in 2006 after almost five decades of construction, connects Xining in Qinghai Province, with Lhasa in Xizang Autonomous Region.
Today, passengers can admire breathtaking views as the train crosses the "roof of the world". However, what's behind those scenic views is the railway workers' decades-long dedication .
He Zhijun, a railway maintenance worker, has devoted many years to ensuring a smooth operation of the railway. At the very beginning of his career, he and his colleagues had to overcome harsh conditions.
"It was very difficult. We lived in a tent. When I was working, my head and my body were covered with sand. In the morning, we had sand in our eyes, and in our noses," he recalled.
Today, much of the line is electrified, a mark of modern engineering that seeks to reconcile transport needs with environmental protection.
Sections of the route were modified to safeguard the habitat of black necked cranes, and in several stretches the tracks are raised to allow Tibetan antelope to roam the plateau unhindered.
"We built the railway to protect the local ecosystem. In many places we built bridges to lead the way. The local wildlife is now protected to a great extent and can pass under our railway, and we effectively protect the ecosystem," said Li Chengjun, a staff member on the Qinghai-Xizang Railway.
Railway officials said that environmental protection is important, but not their only priority; their chief aim is to provide a safe, reliable service that connects rural communities and moves people efficiently from a place to another.
Millions of passengers now travel the line each year, and it has become an economic linchpin for the region. Workers and travelers alike recognize that measures such as tree planting and sand‑fence installations, which prevent drifts from blocking the tracks, protect both the environment and the communities that depend on the railway.
"Protecting the water, and the green mountains, while developing the railroad is now deeply rooted in everyone's heart here. You see it in all their actions, it is deeply entrenched," said Li Chengjun.
Qinghai-Xizang Railway delivers environmental victory on roof of world
