Track-laying work is underway on a major railway project in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region.

The 825-kilometer railway, which links Hotan prefecture with Ruoqiang county, will be the final section of a loop line circling the Tarim Basin.

The railway will cut the travel distance for local residents to leave Xinjiang by more than 1,000 km and is expected to play an important role in promoting regional social and economic growth.