In winter, the road winds through the mountains of Qamdo in eastern Xizang and continues to stretch out into the distance. Here is the National Highway 317, the northern line of Sichuan-Xizang Highway opened to traffic 70 years ago.

Photo taken on Oct. 20 shows a mountain road in Qamdo, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region.

The Sichuan-Xizang and Qinghai-Xizang highways, completed in 1954, put an end to the absence of modern highways in Xizang. Among them, the northern line of Sichuan-Xizang Highway crosses the rushing Jinsha River and flows to Qamdo’s Gangtuo Village, the "east gate" of Xizang.

Sonam Chophel, 37, is a third-generation road maintenance man in Gangtuo. In the past, his father and workmates maintained this section of road day after day, clearing landslides, repairing the road and ensuring driving safety.

Sonam Chophel is driving the loader.

As a child, Sonam Chophel loved to watch the cars passing on the national highway. "There were fewer buses, and every time I saw one, I was excited." Slangqupe recalled that the road used to be a dirt one. In summer, it rained frequently and the road was potholed and bumpy, making traffic difficult. Once the landslide and debris flow washed away the road, it was completely impassable.

"We are on call 24 hours a day. Sometimes there are emergencies in the early morning, and we need to work overnight to ensure that the traffic is restored before dawn." Said Sonam Chophel. The elder generation had only simple tools like hoes and pickaxes. When the dirt road was frozen in winter, as there was no snow melting agent, we have to cover the soil layer by layer to prevent vehicles from slipping.

"Roads are so important to us. With good road condition, I can earn 50,000 yuan to 60,000 yuan a year by delivering goods." Said Daqu, a villager of GangTuo Village. Awang Gyaltsen, secretary of the Party branch of Gangtuo Village introduces that there are 92 households in the village with more than 170 big trucks. There is a steady stream of traffic coming along the road. "In recent years, there have been more tourists and more new energy vehicles, which are beautiful." Qumig Yudron, a road maintenance worker, said, "We are proud to maintain the road of happiness for local residents and tourists."

In 2009, the road was changed from dirt to solid, flat asphalt.

Today, in the road maintenance area, modern buildings have replaced the small tiled houses. There are loaders and excavators parked in the work area, and the living building and activity rooms are comfortable and spacious.

Sonam Chophel's 10-year-old daughter Tsering Wangmo, who studies at the No. 1 Primary School in Gangtuo Town, often goes to the work area to play with her father after school. "The teacher said that this road passes through many, many mountains in Xizang... Dad said it is his job to make road stay in 'healthy' condition, so everyone can pass safely."

Statistics from the Department of Transportation of Xizang Autonomous Region show that from 1953 to 2023, the state invested a total of 325.096 billion yuan in highway transportation construction in Xizang. By the end of July 2024, Xizang had 123,300 kilometers of highways open to traffic.

Reporter: Lin Jianyang, Liu Zhoupeng, Wei Guanyu

Photo: Jiang Mengchen, Tenzin Nubgang

Translator: Zhi Xinghua

Review: Hu Rongguo, Li Chengye