A blog is circulating in China's social media expressing fears on safety of the Lhasa-Shigatse railway route. The author of the blog, who appears to have detailed knowledge of the railway's construction, details six problematic issues of the line which endanger its safety. The blog, which was posted on several Chinese language news sites and social media and has been translated into English, describes “problems at the stretch labelled TJ6 on the Lhasa–Shigatse Railway” that have been known for two years but apparently not resolved. These include cutting corners on material such as steel needed for tunnels, bridge pillars that are too short, and not enough cement used. According to the author these contributed to “severe landslides” during construction of a tunnel entrance. The blog states: “What is really a pity, however, is that all of the involved departments and control organs, including the China Railroad Headquarters, the Qinghai-Tibet Railway Company, the Lhasa–Shigatse Railway Construction Command Bureau (the personnel from which have all been transferred to the Lhasa-Nyingtri Railway Construction Command Bureau) and the Lanzhou Railroad Management Bureau responsible for project supervision and control, are turning a blind eye to the problems exposed.” Discussing the Lhasa-Shigatse route, the blogger said that in February 2016, the Lanzhou Railway Supervision and Management Bureau identified that five out of eight pillars supporting a major bridge on the route are two meters short, “thus causing a severe hidden safety hazard” but that nothing has so far been done about the problem. He added that the “problem of skimping on construction materials” that “is particularly severe starting from 100 meters into the respective tunnels; 60% of the second lining reinforcing steel bars do not meet standards. […] Furthermore, they severely skimped on small conduits in the tunnel, and some were simply left out; and they also only used about 30% of the bolts.” The blogger stated that: “The ‘leftover’ steel was subsequently sold by the contractors”, with one relative of a contractor “at one point making over 40 million yuan in a single transaction.” The social media discussion also notes that while the Chinese authorities state that the construction of the railway is for tourism purposes, its use is also heavily strategic and based on military concerns.
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