The sand table of the High-Speed Railway (HSR) linking Indonesian capital Jakarta to Bandung is seen in Jakarta, Indonesia, May 2, 2018. (Xinhua/Zulkarnain)

 
The high-speed railway project linking Indonesia's Jakarta and Bandung, undertaken by China Railway Group Limited (CREC) has made another breakthrough despite the spread of the coronavirus, as the No 5 tunnel was completed on Thursday.

According to media reports, the completion of the tunnel was an important milestone in the construction of the Jakarta-Bandung railway. The tunnel runs 422 meters long and construction started in June last year, but the complex geological conditions requires advanced monitoring and a forecasting system to ensure safety of the workers. 

During the construction of the tunnel, the Chinese construction firm CREC provided training for 79 local workers, who later played key roles in excavating and building the tunnel. 

The Jakarta-Bandung railway is one of the key projects in China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and one of the Indonesian government's national strategic projects. It is also the first project of the whole industrial chain, including the technical standardization and design as well as training of local construction engineers and workers.

The railway line is 142.3 kilometers long, and will be used as a train rail with a maximum speed of up to 350 km an hour. The journey between Jakarta and Bandung, which cost more than three hours previously, will be shortened to 40 minutes. 

The completion of the tunnel comes at a time when the deadly novel coronavirus is spreading all over the world, but all cautions have been taken to ensure safety of all workers. According to a report by the People's Daily, all medical supplies have been sufficiently stocked up and high standards of sanitation and hygiene are mandatory, and construction workers are directed to reduce unnecessary outings and gatherings.