The second phase of the Guangzhou Baiyun Railway Station, one of the key transportation projects in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, has begun. The station is expected to put into operation by 2023. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Construction of the second phase of the Guangzhou Baiyun Railway Station, one of the key transportation projects in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, has begun, Guangzhou Railway Group announced.

The project is progressing steadily as it enters the key construction period involving the underground foundation floor. The station is expected to put into operation by 2023.

The Baiyun station, which is about 5 kilometers from the existing Guangzhou Railway Station — one of the busiest stations by passenger flow in the country — will become a new landmark in the Greater Bay Area next year, said Huang Bo, a design manager of the China Railway Siyuan Survey and Design Group.

The main building of the station shows off the unique style of kapok flowers in South China, usually called Lingnan, using advanced design concepts and building technologies, Huang said.

"Each kapok petal extending outward from the station building echoes the city flower of Guangzhou and highlights the city's green ecological environment," he said.

Huang said smart construction robots have been widely used in the building process of the station, which began construction in 2020.

After completion, the station will accommodate all trains of ordinary speed running through the city, laying a solid foundation for renovation of the Guangzhou Station and Guangzhou East Station, both of which are located in downtown areas of the city.