Balloons are released into the sky to help celebrate the launch on Dec 28 of construction on the Songyang-Lishui section of the Quzhou-Lishui Railway. [Photo/lsnews.com.cn]

The groundbreaking of the Songyang-Lishui section of the Quzhou-Lishui Railway took place on Dec 28 in Lishui city, East China's Zhejiang province, according to local media reports.

Major provincial and municipal government officials attended the launch ceremony.

The new section starts from Songyang station on the Quzhou-Ningde Railway and ends at Lishui Station on the Jinhua-Wenzhou Railway. It will pass through Songyang county and Liandu district in Lishui.

The project, with a total investment of 9.09 billion yuan ($1.39 billion), will have a total length of 65.3 kilometers. The construction is scheduled to be completed in four years.

Rail officials said the new line will be significant, in terms of improving the layout of the railway network in southwest Zhejiang.