On May 11, the pre-qualification announcement for the general price contracting tender of the pre-station works and temporary power works of the newly built Xi'an-Ankang High-Speed Railway was officially released.

The Xikang High-Speed Railway is a project planned by China Railway Group for new construction in 2021. According to the tender announcement, the project is scheduled to officially start on July 1, with a construction period of 5 years, and be completed by the end of June 2026.

The newly built Xikang High-Speed Railway is a component of the Beijing-Kunming and Baotou-Haikou corridors of the national high-speed railway network, and is the northern section of the Xi'an-Chongqing High-Speed Railway. The construction scope of the project is from Xi'an East Station (excluded, included in the Xi'an-Shiyan High-Speed Railway project) to Ankang West Station (included), with 170 kilometers of newly built main line, 5 new stations at Taihe, Zhashui, Zhen'an West, Tongmu, and Ankang West, and simultaneous construction of the Ankang EMU storage yard, comprehensive maintenance workshop, track-laying base, and other related works.

The Xikang High-Speed Railway project is mainly tunnel works, with tunnels accounting for 83.1% of the length. There are 4 extra-long tunnels of over 10 kilometers along the entire line, among which the Qinling Taixingshan Tunnel is 18.844 kilometers long. It adopts the scheme of separate construction of the entrance and tunnel body, and combined construction of the exit and Taihe Station, and is a key controlling project of the entire line.

After completion, the Xikang High-Speed Railway will, together with the Kangyu High-Speed Railway, form a rapid passenger transport corridor running through the west and connecting the two major national urban agglomerations of Chengdu-Chongqing and Guanzhong.

At the same time, the Xikang High-Speed Railway will, together with the Xi'an-Yan'an and Yan'an-Yulin high-speed railways, jointly build the main north-south high-speed railway framework of Shaanxi Province, which is of great significance for promoting coordinated regional development, driving the revitalization of old revolutionary base areas, and consolidating the achievements of poverty alleviation in impoverished areas.

Main Contents of the Tender Announcement

1. Tender Conditions

The newly built Xi'an-Ankang High-Speed Railway has been approved for construction by China State Railway Group Co., Ltd. and the Shaanxi Provincial People's Government with the "Reply of China Railway Group and Shaanxi Provincial People's Government on the Feasibility Study Report for the Adjustment of the Newly Built Xi'an-Ankang High-Speed Railway" (Tie Fa Gai Han (2020) No. 577). The project owner is Xicheng Railway Passenger Dedicated Line Shaanxi Co., Ltd. The construction funds come from: project investment of 29.212 billion yuan (excluding the contribution portion for Xi'an East Station), and EMU purchase cost of 1.71 billion yuan.

The project capital is 17.53 billion yuan, of which China Railway Group contributes 5.67 billion yuan, and the remaining capital of 11.86 billion yuan (including 3.35 billion yuan for land acquisition and demolition) and 450 million yuan for station buildings are undertaken by Shaanxi Province. Funds beyond the capital will use domestic bank loans. The project contribution ratio is: China Railway Group 32%, Shaanxi Province 68%. The tenderer is Xicheng Railway Passenger Dedicated Line Shaanxi Co., Ltd.

2. Project Overview

The newly built Xi'an-Ankang High-Speed Railway leads from Xi'an East Station, passes through the Qinling Mountains, and then goes via Zhashui, Zhen'an, and Xunyang to Ankang West Station, with a main line length of 170.4 kilometers. The entire line has 6 stations: Xi'an East, Taihe, Zhashui West, Zhen'an West, Tongmu, and Ankang West. The approved investment for the project feasibility study is 35.51 billion yuan.

Planned construction period: 1825 days. Start date: July 1, 2021. Completion date: June 30, 2026.

3. Tender Scope and Section Division

Tender scope: construction of pre-station works within the scope of the newly built Xi'an-Ankang High-Speed Railway and construction of temporary power works for the entire line (centralized power supply part).

Section division: this tender is divided into 7 sections in total (Section XKZQ-1 is not yet tendered):

(1) XKLD-1, engineering quantities: 298 kilometers of 35kV temporary power lines in total, including 57 kilometers of 35kV temporary power source lines, 209 kilometers of 35kV temporary main lines, and 32 kilometers of 35kV temporary T-connection lines. 5 locations of 35kV power source bays and 5 35kV temporary switching stations.

Mileage/scope: DK4+176～DK171+400.

(2) XKZQ-2, engineering quantities: 0.257 kilometers of station subgrade, 0.468 kilometers of bridges, 33.83 kilometers of single-track single-tube tunnels, and 6.072 kilometers of double-track single-tube tunnels.

Main engineering contents: Qinling Taixingshan Tunnel (33.83 kilometers of single-track single-tube tunnel, 1.925 kilometers of double-track single-tube tunnel), Taihe Station Bridge, Qinfeng Tunnel, and 1 section of subgrade. The Xi'an end and Ankang end (including inclined shaft) of No. 3 inclined shaft of Qinling Taixingshan Tunnel adopt large-scale mechanized supporting construction.

Mileage/scope: DK22+878～DK46+582.

(3) XKZQ-3, engineering quantities: 0.096 kilometers of station subgrade, 1.504 kilometers of bridges, and 30.502 kilometers of tunnels.

Main engineering contents: Longtan Bridge, Yingpan Tunnel, Lucai Gou Medium Bridge, Yaowangtang Tunnel, Hongyanggou Bridge, Erdaoliang Tunnel, Beiguan Qianyou River Bridge, Hongyan Tunnel, Zhaizigou Medium Bridge, Mafangzi Tunnel, Zhashui West Station Extra-Large Bridge, Zhashui West Comprehensive Maintenance Work Area, Qinling Jiutianshan Tunnel (13293m), Ziqiaogou Medium Bridge, and 1 section of subgrade. The Xi'an end and Ankang end (including inclined shaft) of No. 2 inclined shaft of Qinling Jiutianshan Tunnel adopt large-scale mechanized supporting construction.

Mileage/scope: DK46+582～DK78+494.

(4) XKZQ-4, engineering quantities: 0.705 kilometers of station subgrade, 2.029 kilometers of bridges, and 24.886 kilometers of tunnels.

Main engineering contents: Yanzipo Tunnel, Tietonggou No. 1 Extra-Large Bridge, Baijia'ao Tunnel, Zhen'an West Station No. 1 Extra-Large Bridge, Zhen'an West Station No. 2 Extra-Large Bridge, Zhen'an West Comprehensive Maintenance Work Area, Qingshan Tunnel, Xitonggou Medium Bridge, Linjiashan Tunnel entrance work area and No. 1 inclined shaft work area, 2 sections of station subgrade, and 1 sleeper prefabrication yard. The Xi'an end and Ankang end (including inclined shaft) of No. 1 inclined shaft of Linjiashan Tunnel adopt large-scale mechanized supporting construction.

Mileage/scope: DK78+494～DK106+543.

(5) XKZQ-5, engineering quantities: 0.216 kilometers of station subgrade, 1.185 kilometers of bridges, and 23.496 kilometers of tunnels.

Main engineering contents: No. 2 inclined shaft work area and exit work area of Linjiashan Tunnel, Longshenggou Medium Bridge, Fengshupo Tunnel, Renhekou Xunhe River Bridge, Lijiashan Tunnel, Duanjiagou Medium Bridge, Fengping Tunnel, Tongmu Station Extra-Large Bridge, and 1 section of subgrade.

Mileage/scope: DK106+543～DK130+950.

(6) XKZQ-6, engineering quantities: 0.224 kilometers of bridges and 23.562 kilometers of tunnels.

Main engineering contents: Chenjiazhuang Tunnel, Tongmugou Medium Bridge, Baiyangping Tunnel, Mapinghe Medium Bridge, Huajiashan Tunnel (13153m), and Sunjiahe Medium Bridge. The Xi'an end and Ankang end (including inclined shaft) of No. 2 inclined shaft of Huajiashan Tunnel adopt large-scale mechanized supporting construction.

Mileage/scope: DK130+950～DK154+695.

(7) XKZQ-7, engineering quantities: 2.260 kilometers of main line station subgrade, 0.377 kilometers of bridges, and 16.484 kilometers of tunnels; 1.290 kilometers of EMU running line subgrade, 0.410 kilometers of bridges (single-track), and 1.079 kilometers of subgrade for Ankang West storage yard and comprehensive maintenance workshop.

Main engineering contents: Zhaojiaoshan Tunnel (9483m), Fujiahe Bridge, Ankang Tunnel (7001m), Chuangxin Road Overpass Medium Bridge, Ankang West Station and related works of the Ankang hub (EMU running line, storage yard, maintenance workshop). The Ankang direction of No. 1 inclined shaft of Zhaojiaoshan Tunnel and the exit work area (totaling 4.895km) adopt intelligent mechanized supporting construction.

Mileage/scope: DK154+695～DK173+735.