--Since the project was launched, no death caused by altitude reaction has occurred. The most stringent environmental protection measures in China's railway construction history have been introduced.

Minister of Railways Fu Zhihuan told the press conference sponsored by the State Council Information Office on November 7 that since the construction of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway started, every work of the project has reported a good beginning and progressed smoothly with the support and coordination of relevant government departments, and the local governments of Tibet, Qinghai and places along the route.

According to Fu, the survey and design of the full length of the railway has already been completed, and the design drawings for the Golmud-Wangkun section and the permafrost engineering test section have been provided as required. The design work of the Kunlunshan-Tanggulashan section is going on in full swing. The 147-km subgrade in the Golmud-Wangkun section has basically taken shape, and the track-laying base at Nanshankou has been in the main completed, which has paved the way for the start of track-laying next year. Work on the four permafrost test sections has been carried out in full swing, and tests and studies are under way to explore experiences for the construction in permafrost sections next year. By the end of October, 770 million yuan of investments had been in place, with the construction of 55 bridges and three tunnels started, and 8.8 million cubic meters of subgrade, 5,900 linear meters of bridges, 6,000 linear meters of culverts and 500 linear meters of tunnels completed. All engineering teams have attached importance to the project quality, which ensures all completed parts of the project live up to high criteria. This reflects the requirements of a high starting point, high quality and high standard for the railway construction.

The tough natural environment on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, such as low atmospheric pressure and lack of oxygen, causes great impact on people's health and work capacity. To ensure the health of railway builders, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Railways, summing up the several-decade domestic research results and practical experiences related to altitude diseases, formulated the Regulations on the Qinghai-Tibet Railway Health Guarantee and the Measures on the Qinghai-Tibet Railway Health Guarantee (interim). The Ministry of Railways also compiled a pamphlet on disease prevention and health care for railway builders, introducing plateau environment features and first-aid skills and publicizing labor protection and the prevention of major diseases. In addition, training courses and forums were held to improve the workers' self-protection skills.

The more than 10,000 railway builders have all gone through thorough physical checkups. To help the builders gradually get used to the high-altitude oxygen-deficient frigid environment, they were first sent to worksites at a lower elevation and then to those at a higher elevation. Thus far, the local three-level medical institutions have treated 24,000 cases of altitude reaction, including 50 critical and serious cases. But, no death caused by altitude reaction has occurred.