The Macao delegation to the National People's Congress proposed to accelerate the construction of the Shenzhen-Zhuhai-Macao high-speed railway

According to the Macao Daily News, the Macao delegation of the National People's Congress proposed suggestions for accelerating the construction of the Shenzhen-Zhuhai (Macao) high-speed railway, aiming to integrate Macao into the national high-speed rail network. They recommended that the National Development and Reform Commission, the National Railway Administration, and the China State Railway Group support the inclusion of the Shenzhen-Zhuhai (Macao) high-speed railway in the "New Era Medium and Long-term Railway Network Planning" and the "14th Five-Year Plan" for railway development's upcoming construction projects.

The Macao delegation pointed out that the "Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Development Plan Outline" clearly states the need to build a rapid transportation network in the Greater Bay Area, achieving one-hour access between major cities. The "Overall Plan for the Construction of the Hengqin Guangdong-Macao Deep Cooperation Zone" proposed accelerating the construction of passageways connecting the cooperation zone to surrounding areas. However, there is currently a lack of direct railway connections between the two major points of Hong Kong-Shenzhen and Macao-Zhuhai, which has become a shortcoming in the region's infrastructure "hard connectivity." The construction of the Shenzhen-Zhuhai (Macao) high-speed railway plays an important role in resolving the traffic supply and demand contradictions in the Pearl River Estuary, promoting the efficient flow of elements and industrial collaboration between the two major points of Hong Kong-Shenzhen and Macao-Zhuhai, and facilitating the diversified development of Macao's economy.

The National Development and Reform Commission, the National Railway Administration, the China State Railway Group, and various departments of Guangdong Province have actively communicated and reached a certain consensus on the necessity of constructing the Shenzhen-Zhuhai (Macao) high-speed railway. It is reported that last year, Guangdong Province formally requested support from the China State Railway Group regarding the planning of the Shenzhen-Zhuhai railway; relevant departments of the National Railway Administration also clearly expressed support for including the Shenzhen-Zhuhai (Macao) high-speed railway in the "Medium and Long-term Railway Network Planning" at a seminar on the planning of the Lingdingyang Railway Passage held in Shenzhen.

Regarding feasibility, the delegation pointed out that to demonstrate the feasibility of constructing the Shenzhen-Zhuhai (Macao) railway passage, relevant departments from Shenzhen City, Zhuhai City, and Guangdong Province have conducted in-depth research on key issues such as the design of the Lingdingyang passage scheme based on the Shenzhen-Zhuhai (Macao) railway and hydrological geology, with sufficient preliminary research reserves. Additionally, the successful large-diameter underwater tunnels and cross-sea bridges built within the Pearl River Estuary, such as the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong High-Speed Railway Shiziyang Tunnel, the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, and the ongoing construction of the Shenzhen-Jiangmen Railway Pearl River Estuary Tunnel, can serve as technical references, indicating that the engineering technology for the Shenzhen-Zhuhai (Macao) high-speed railway is mature and feasible