The section between Yuli and Qiemo of the Urumqi-Yuli Highway in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region has passed inspection and is ready for operation.
A view of the Yuli-Qiemo section of the Urumqi-Yuli Highway in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region [Photo/sasac.gov.cn]
Located in the Tarim Basin between the south side of the Tianshan Mountains and the northern foothill of the Altun Mountains, the Yuli-Qiemo section stretches through the Taklamakan, the world's second-largest shifting desert.
With a total length of about 334 kilometers, the section has 307 kilometers that run through the desert, making it the world's longest under-construction desert highway that is built in an area with a high number of wandering dunes.
The Yuli-Qiemo section highway, still under construction, is expected to be the world's longest desert highway. [Photo/sasac.gov.cn]
Once operational, travel time between Qiemo and Korla will be shortened to six hours, which will effectively improve local people's travel experience and help reduce their living costs and promote marketing of agricultural products.
What's more, the section will go through an oil geological-reserve abundant zone, which is expected to support future exploitation, development and transport of oil and natural gas and boost economic and social development of the affected areas.
(Executive editor: Wang Ruoting)
