Mohamed Issa Mohamed
25 December 2007
Nairobi — Tanzania's scenic northern railway lines linking the rich hinterlands of Arusha and Moshi to the port of Tanga is to be revived.
This is contrary to earlier reports that the firm would shut down the route, said the firm's managing director, Narsimhaswami Jayaram.
However, heavy maintenance and a complete overhaul of some of the sections on the stretch will have to be done.
Mr Jayaram said a survey conducted recently showed that the ageing railway is in dire need of refurbishment.
"The tracks are in a very poor condition," he said.
He added that the Tanga line is an important route for transport of minerals and cement and will be improve and rehabilitated alongside the entire railway.
The line used to ferry coffee and tea exports from Arusha and Kilimanjaro regions to Tanga. It has many rail sidings that link the Tanga port with factories, flour mills and a city-based industrial area, Gofu.
The sidings ease transportation of raw materials imports such as coal and clinker for the Tanga Cement factory and bulk grain for Pembe Flour Mills.
It is an integral part of a rail-marine transport corridor; Tanga-Arusha-Musoma-Port Bell/Jinja (Uganda) currently being initiated by the East African Community.
The 437-kilometre railroad was built by the Germans a century ago and has never been renewed.
Tanzania Railways will replace the defective portions of the line and deploy new coaches, wagons and locomotives. Passenger and cargo trains schedules are expected to start mid next year.
Tanzania's entire rail network is about 2,600km long. The central line runs from Dar es Salaam to Kigoma, and the Tanga line from port town to Moshi.
The central line has further branches, including one to Lake Victoria, where it connects with the Uganda Railway through wagon ferries.
From the Tanga line, a connection goes north to Kenya, terminating at Taveta.
Tanzania Railways Ltd (TRL) is a partnership between India's Rites consortium and a state-owned Reli Assets Holding Company. It started managing the country's railway in October.
Rites has bought 51 per cent of the shares of the phased-out Tanzania Railways Corporation, while the government of Tanzania retains the remaining 49 per cent.
TRL will run the rail under a 25-year concession under the supervision of the Surface and Marine Transport Regulatory Authority.
The World Bank recently disbursed a $33 million loan for the initial rehabilitation of the railroad and rolling stock, which comprises 90 locomotives, 1,280 freight wagons and 110 passenger coaches.
Tanzania has two railway systems. The other one is the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority, which runs 1,860 km from Dar es Salaam to Kapiri Mposhi in northern Zambia.
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