The main structures of all 12 stations along the Hangzhou-Haining Intercity Railway were completed on May 14, 11 days earlier than planned. The railway is expected to open at the end of 2021.

The Yuhang Station in Hangzhou, due to its proximity to a high-speed railway station, a lake, an underground parking space, and a metro station, was considered the most difficult station to build, posing a huge challenge for the entire railway project.

"The mealy sand is easily permeated by water and nearby buildings would probably sink if the sand is not handled properly," said Fan Ruidong, an assistant manager of the construction team.

The team came up with workarounds to deal with the geological complexities and to reduce risks, according to Fan.

"To complete construction on time amid the novel coronavirus outbreak, we came up with a series of measures to encourage workers," said the assistant manager.

The Hangzhou-Haining Intercity Railway, scheduled for completion in 2021, will significantly reduce travel time between the urban area of Hangzhou and Haining, a county-level city in Jiaxing. It will also help with the flow of production and industrial development in the province.