Work on the Lhasa terminal station of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway was finished on Tuesday -- less than a fortnight before it opens for travelers.

Railway chiefs are keeping operational details of the two-storey building under wraps until the official opening on July 1.

It's known that the station is the largest on the line and is 3,600 meters above sea level. It's located in a new area of the city on the south bank of the Lhasa River around 30 kilometers from the Potala Palace.

Zhang Zhancheng, secretary of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway Project Command Headquarters of the China Railway Construction Engineering Group, said the architectural style was a combination of Tibetan traditional with modern elements. The main colors of the station are the traditional Tibetan white and red which are the colors of the hada ceremonial cloth and temples.

Since May 10 more than 5,000 workers have toiled to ensure completion before the July 1 opening ceremony. Decoration of the building and construction of the square and platform are finished.

Environmentally-friendly solar power is being used for heating in the station.

However Zhang declined to reveal any details such as how many passengers the station could accommodate. "You'll know that on July 1," he said.



(Xinhua News Agency June 21, 2006)