A train runs on a bridge across the Sava River on the Benoa section of the Hungarian-Serbian railway in Serbia (drone photo taken on April 29, 2024). Xinhua News Agency, photo by Wang Wei
BELGRADE/BUDAPEST, May 7 (Xinhua) -- Jade in the stone? In late spring and early summer, at the track-laying camp in the north of Novi Sad, Serbia's second-largest city, the track-laying machine rumbled, concrete sleepers were placed on the gravel-paved roadbed, and two 250-meter-long railroad tracks landed steadily on the sleepers with the cooperation of machinery and workers......
This is the scene of a working day at the track-laying site of the Novi Sad to Subotica section (Nosu section) of the Hungarian-Serbian railway in Serbia. Here, railways are "growing" in an orderly manner, connecting local cities into a convenient and vibrant vein.
The 108.1-kilometer-long section of the railway, which starts at Novi Sad Station in Serbia and ends at the Serbian-Hungarian border, will begin track laying on April 6, 2023.
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In a camp in the Nuosu section, Ning Zeyuan, a staff member of the Hungarian-Serbian railway project, told a heartwarming story to reporters. In November last year, four women arrived at the construction site with packages large and small to wave to the busy staff. One of the ladies said happily: "My name is Ružica Vlajć, and thank you for your efforts in building our city." This is our own cake and biscuit, please accept it. ”
"I'm very proud." Ning Zeyuan said. The project staff regarded these gifts as a bond of sincere friendship between China and Cyprus.
People queue up to buy tickets at Belgrade Central Railway Station in Serbia on April 29. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Li Ying
It has been more than two years since the Belgrade-Novi Sad section of the Hungarian-Serbian railway was put into operation, allowing Serbia to realize its "high-speed rail dream". May 1 is a public holiday in Serbia. In the early afternoon, Hannah, a Serbian girl working in Belgrade, boarded a train to Novi Sad, with a view of the wide, calm Danube River outside the window.
Hannah told Xinhua News Agency that she had to go to Novi Sad every weekend or holiday to visit her boyfriend, and that before the Belgrade to Novi Sad section of the Hungarian-Serbian railway opened, the railway journey was long, the station and carriage environment were average, and sometimes she had to choose a long-distance bus. Today, locals have faster and more comfortable travel options.
Zoran Petronijević, a 69-year-old engineer of the Serbian project department of the Hungarian-Serbian Railway, has been working for more than 40 years in the field of professional construction of railway electrification. He lives in Zemun, a small town near Belgrade, and commutes between Zemun and Novi Sad every day. Previously, it took 1 hour and 40 minutes to get to Novi Sad, but now it takes 45 minutes to reach your destination.
Petronievich calls the quick commute a happy "twin city life." This railway is another testimony of the friendship between China and Cyprus, and has also become the "road to happiness" in the eyes of the local people.
On April 29, at the central railway station in Belgrade, Serbia, people board a train from Belgrade to Novi Sad on the Hungarian-Serbian railway to prepare for Novi Sad. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Li Ying
In the past two years, the Belgrade-Novi Sad section of the Hungarian-Serbian railway has carried more than 7 million passengers. Serbian President Vučić previously said during an inspection of the construction site that the entire line of the Hungarian-Serbian railway in Serbia will be completed by the end of 2024, when the time from the capital Belgrade to Subotica will be shortened to 1 hour and 15 minutes. "This is a huge change for the Serbian people and the country as a whole, and it means a lot for the local population."
From Belgrade to Budapest, the capital of Hungary, the Hungarian-Serbian railway will connect the historic cities of Central and Eastern Europe, shorten the railway travel time between the two capitals from 8 hours to 3 hours, greatly improve the travel conditions of residents along the line, promote economic and social development, and expand economic and trade cooperation and exchanges.
In the Chinese section of the Hungarian section of the Hungarian-Serbian railway, the track-laying work was officially launched at the end of May last year. At present, the track laying is progressing smoothly, the right track is basically through, the left track laying is advancing, about 70% of the track has been laid in the Chinese section, and the overall project completion progress is more than 55%.
This is Novi Sad train station in Serbia taken on April 29 (drone photo). Xinhua News Agency, photo by Liu Yuxin
As the Hungarian proverb goes, you go further in company. While actively cooperating with the Hungarian side to promote the progress of the project, the Chinese team also focused on strengthening the construction of "cultural Hungarian" and "green Hungarian", providing thousands of jobs for the local area, and also carried out "enterprise open days", released corporate social responsibility reports, and participated in Sino-Hungarian language and cultural exchanges, so as to promote the "heart-to-heart connection" between the two countries.
The Hungarian-Serbian Railway is a landmark project of the Belt and Road Initiative between China and Central and Eastern European countries. In the view of Serbian President Vučić, the Hungarian-Serbian railway is a successful example of multinational cooperation projects. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said that Hungary-China relations have maintained good development and achieved fruitful results in recent years, and the investment and cooperation of Chinese enterprises, including the construction of the Hungarian-Serbian railway, have significantly promoted Hungary's economic and social development.
This "road to happiness" is of great significance to expanding China-Hungary-Serbia economic cooperation, strengthening European regional connectivity and promoting the joint construction of the "Belt and Road", and will also bring huge dividends to regional development. (Participating reporter: Zheng Kaijun)
Editor: Zheng Jianlong
Source: Xinhua News Agency