The recent news of China planning a railway line across multiple countries is another form of bridging the world together. This plan which adjoins seventeen countries on one single line raises the age old debate of the difference between a developing and a developed nation.

railway-links

This transcontinental project which links the Kunming city in China to New Delhi all the way to Lahore and then to Tehran could finally be seen in action. The project has come about after facing many barriers and years of talks and agreements. China being the main initiator of the project intends to connect itself with Central Asia, Iran, Russia, Europe and Singapore. So, this pan – Asia assignment is that is going to be a must watch in the near future.

There would be problems that would come about with countries still being in the developing stages. When compared to its population, India is relatively a small country. However, it is also justified that it is better to build a rail network instead of highways which would prove to be more expensive. Additionally, this rail link would aid in efficient and easier transportation with all the relevant resources in place. This might also lead to an agreement that could easily cater to exports towards the Indian Ocean.

The project which has been in the pipeline for the last fifteen years has finally grabbed eyeballs after the initiation of the country’s internal high speed rail network. The fastest railway line in the world was opened in December between Wuhan and southern Guangzhou. Here, three hundred fifty kilometers per hour train was introduced that encompasses one thousand and sixty eight kilometers in only three hours. This is a reduction by more than seven hours cutting it down from the earlier 10.5 hours of traveling time.

However, this is just the beginning! In another two years, China would be known for having the largest high speed network of railways in the world. By 2012, the nation would be host to around forty two such rail links which would be running across thirteen thousand kilometers out of its hundred and ten thousand kilometers of land covered by rail.

Inspite of being advanced in this genre, the nation is humane enough to share it with the rest of the world. Hats off to the Chinese for that! However, it is yet to be seen as to how responsive the rest of the world is to this gesture.

This is especially for the developing countries. The foremost is whether the country would be able to rise that much of funds required for this purpose.

Secondly, in India how many would actually be able to afford such services? With major part of the population still living in rural areas, it would only cater to the urbanites. This surely would widen the gap between rural and urban India. But this does not mean that such initiatives should be taken. But a balance has to found between the two.

Thirdly, with so much of internal politics and corruption in India, would success surely be guaranteed? With some of the politicians in India being illiterate, how many would actually favor to this project? Also, there would be oppositions regarding being in hands with the world, yet the local people are being neglected.

Fourthly, even if China agrees to bear the expenditure for this, its demand for access to the country’s energy resources might pose a problem with the heavy load of population. This proposal is being known as the Resources for Technology might be opposed internally.

Lastly, the type of railway track and the materials involved have to be in sync throughout. With this, the standards would also vary. In such cases, renovations are also involved to a large extent.

All in all, if everything goes smoothly, the entire project is expected to be finished by 2025. In such a scenario, it would only take two days of travel from Beijing to London.