Repair works on the damaged Tanzania Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) Railway line across Chambeshi river in Muchinga Province, are nearing completion.
Government has engaged a Chinese company, Jiangsu Gold Civil Construction to carry out the repair works at a cost of 1.6 million United States dollars.
Muchinga Province Assistant Secretary Chiwele Kondomone who inspected the repair works today has confirmed that government wants the repair works completed as soon as possible.
Mr. Kondomone said suspension of train movements has greatly affected the movement of goods and services to and from the port of Dar-salaam in Tanzania.
Accompanied by Kanchibiya district commissioner Chrispin Chilekwa , the Assistant Secretary said asked the contractor to ensure that works are completed within August as scheduled.
“Government want to see this project completed as soon as possible so as to allow the resumption of both goods and passenger trains which were suspended last year,” said Mr. Kondomone.
TAZARA Clerk of Works Sternly Shimishi said progress has been made on the project adding that from the time steel members fabricated in South Africa arrived on site, much progress has been made on the project.
Project Consultant Caron Kasumba said repairs works are expected to be completed on August 30 this month.
Kasumba said works are progressing well with all engineering details required being taken seriously stressing that the contractor is determined to deliver a quality product at the end of this month.
“Since the arrival of the steel members which were fabricated in South Africa, great progress has been made and the project is nearing completion, ” said Eng. Kasumba.
The TAZARA bridge across Chambeshi river in Kanchibiya was damaged in May last year after a goods train hit into the steel members.
The development resulted into the suspension of movements of both goods and passenger trains.
Repair works on the damaged TAZARA bridge commenced in May this year and were initially expected to be completed in July last month.
Source: Lusaka Times
