Work resumes smoothly on Xinzhuang subcenter

Ti Gong

Construction on the upper-cover section of the Xinzhuang subcenter project resumed smoothly.

The project claims to be the first of its kind in China, with overhead construction work being undertaken without interrupting the normal operations of the Metro service.

When completed, the Tianhui TOD Town will integrate separate sections of the Metro station with Jinshan Intercity Railway, adding more commercial and public transportation value to the area. The engineering team had completed testing on the construction site by June 5.

"We submitted the work resumption plan to the government in early June," said Zhang Chong, a project director with Shanghai Xintian Properties Co. "Inspections of large machinery and safety checks on the construction site have been completed. The resumption is being carried out in an orderly manner."

The construction site is now in closed-off management. Workers live a rigid construction site-and-dorm life, taking a nucleic acid test and antigen test daily.

"The workers' dorm is about 10 minutes' walk from the construction site. But, for the sake of pandemic prevention, we dispatch a coach for the workers to commute daily," said Ye Xiaopeng, a project head with Shanghai Construction Group.

Janitors are on duty round the clock. Everybody has to scan the venue code, offer a 48-hour nucleic acid test negative report and take an antigen test before entry. Workers who are about to resume work will be held at the temporary quarantine site for two days before returning to their positions.

"At the initial stage of work resumption, we still face many problems in labor recruitment and logistics. But as the pandemic further wanes, they will become better," said Zhang.

"The second phase of the project is estimated to be completed in early 2024, but we will try our best to complete it ahead of schedule by the end of 2023," said Zhang.

Construction of the third phase is estimated to start in the third quarter of this year.

"About 800 workers are now living in a closed-off management situation. We feel grateful to each of them as our construction work has been able to move smoothly ahead," said Zhang.