TANZANIA Railways Corporation (TRC) has started work on the next phase of the 970km Central Line upgrade between Dar es Salaam and Isaka.
The project is being funded with the $US 200m loan agreed by the World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA) last year to improve Tanzania’s metre gauge network (MGR) through the Tanzania Intermodal Rail and Development Plan (TIRP-2).
TRC’s environmental unit, led by Dr Veronica Mirambo, began engaging key regional stakeholders on July 18, presenting the project to the acting regional administrative secretary of the Pwani region, Nsajigwa George.
TIRP-2 aims to upgrade the country’s 2707km MGR network, improving connectivity between Dar es Salaam, Pwani, Dodoma, Tabora, Isaka, and Mwanza. The project forms part of a broader government initiative to revitalise Tanzania’s railway sector and promote efficient, multimodal transport.
The Tanzanian government is also preparing to open up the national network to third-party operators, to encourage competition and improve efficiency.
The August issue of IRJ will contain an in-depth feature on plans for open access across Africa.
