The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Tanzania has floated a multimillion dollar tender for 19 electric trains to be used on the standard gauge railway (SGR) which is under construction, according to the regional newspaper, The EastAfrican.
State-run railway firm Reli Assets Holding Company (Rahco) is seeking the supply of the locomotives, 14 of which will be cargo trains. The deadline for the bids closes end of this month as Tanzania eyes becoming the East African Community logistics hub.
Tanzania will also become the first country in the region to use high-speed electric cargo and passenger trains.
Construction of the SGR began in April, 2017 with the first phase consisting of a 205km electric railway line from the port city of Dar es Salaam to Morogoro in central Tanzania.
The $1.2 billion line, being built by Turkish firm Yapi Merkezi and Portuguese firm Mota-Engil, is expected to be completed by October 2019.
The country expects to connect its ports along the Indian Ocean to landlocked Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda and eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia.
This is good news for the region as a whole, but TZ will need more than 17 trains to operate an efficient 205km railway transport service. I hope that in addition to the railway line they have or will build depots for maintenance of the fleet, and have made arrangements for the training of engineers and technicians who will maintain the railway.
Railways are very costly to operate and require a lot of commitment, particularly from the state. Funds in form of grants will be required regularly in order to maintain the fleet and the lines. In addition, health and safety are very important.
The Diaspora in the UK is willing to help.
Good news! Good timing as well… I love my country.
GOOD EVEINING TANZANIANS. REMEMBERS NATIONALS INTERESTS FIRSTS.