Plans to construct a Guangzhou-Zhuhai (Macao) high-speed railway, linking Guangzhou and Hengqin, with an extension to the Macao Light Rapid Transit (LRT), remain active. That’s according to a statement issued yesterday by Hengqin’s Urban Planning and Construction Bureau, which said that it was “fully engaged” with promoting the launch of the project.
Earlier reports pegged the roughly 190-kilometre railway line – with trains reaching speeds of 350 kilometres per hour – to begin construction in late 2023.
While no further details were provided, the bureau mentioned that it had selected and set aside locations for four channels that will further connect Hengqin to the SAR in a bid to further “deepen” the “hard connectivity” between their infrastructure.
Other work in the pipeline includes expanding the coverage of the cross-border buses in the Macao peninsula and the building of a more convenient and efficient transportation network that the bureau hopes will help “promote the rapid flow of people from Hengqin and Macao and the coordinated development of their economies.”
[See more: Hengqin is launching a new employment subsidy scheme for Macao locals]
Aside from infrastructure, the Hengqin government mentioned that it was looking to make the island a more attractive place for Macao residents. In December, Hengqin broke ground on a Macao-subsidised housing project.
In recent years, ties between Hengqin and Macao have strengthened considerably, thanks to efforts by the central and regional governments. Some of these include the housing estate known as the Macao New Neighbourhood, the co-hosting of MICE events and policy measures that include an employment subsidy scheme designed to attract local residents to work in the city.
Formerly an undeveloped island, Hengqin has been seen by the Macao government as a way to overcome the city’s economic reliance on the gaming industry and the SAR’s lack of space.
