China's national media said yesterday the National Development and Reform Commission, China's top economic planning body, had planned for 58 new railroad projects to begin in 2005, while the 48 initiated last year would be continued.
The rail network deficiencies are particularly being felt by the China's growing number of factories which rely on the railways for their coal supplies for power generation.
While investment has poured into the country's network of roads and aviation hubs, development of the railway system has lagged, causing delays in the transport of coal not only to local factories, but also to ports for export.
