By Staff Writer-Tanzania Information Services.
Tanzania is set to become the
first country in Africa to have fast modern long distance train using
both electricity and diesel power.
Speaking during the official
ceremony to lay the foundation stone for the construction of the new
standard gauge railway line at Pugu in the outskirts of Dar es Salaam
today, President of Tanzania Dr. John Pombe Magufuli said that the new
train will be travelling at a speed of 160 per hour.
“The new state of the art train
will be the first in the continent and expected to contribute in the
economic growth as well as stimulate trade within and outside the
country” President Magufuli said.
President Magufuli revealed that
the first phase of the project which will cost 2.8 Tzs trillion
involving the construction of 300 km from Dar es Salaam to Morogoro is
expected to be completed within 30 months.
He mention, Morocco and South
Africa as countries with such modern rails but of short distance with
travelling speed of 220 per hour and 150 per hour respectively.
President Magufuli told the
well-attended function that the project is fully funded by the
government and it has already disbursed to contractors Tzs 300 billion
as advance payment.
Stressing the importance of the
new railway line, President Magufuli said that it will facilitate easy
transportation of goods from the port of Dar es Salaam to upcountry and
neighboring countries in a shortest time.
He added that the railway will
also contribute to the increase of trade between Tanzania and its
neighbors namely Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, South
Sudan and Uganda.
President Magufuli said that the
construction the railway line is important as it will stimulate growth
of other sector of the economy including tourism, industries,
agriculture, and also create about 600,000 temporary jobs during
construction phase and 30,000 permanent jobs opportunities during
operations.
Welcoming the president to
officiate the event, Minister for Construction, Transport and
Communication Professor Makame Mbarawa explained that the construction
work is jointly done by two contractors from Turkey and Portugal.
He said the railway has the
capacity to carry 10,000 tons of goods at a go and the journey from Dar
es Salaam to Dodoma will take two hours and that from Dar es Salaam to
Mwanza seven hours and fourty minutes.
Oh his part, board member of the
Turkish company Yapi Merkei, Mr. Emre Aykar assured the President
Magufuli that they will implement the project as scheduled.
Mr Aykar noted that the construction of the project will enhance relations between Tanzania and Turkey.
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