The Minister for Works and Transport, Gen Katumba Wamala, has urged the local community in Tororo district to refrain from vandalizing railway lines and instead support government initiatives.
The minister made these remarks during the launch of rehabilitation works on the Tororo-Gulu meter gauge railway line, which spans 382 KM.
China Roads and Bridges have been entrusted with the rehabilitation project, for shs199 billion.
The railway line is expected to improve transportation of goods both locally and regionally.
The Uganda Railways Corporation signed a contract with China Railways and Bridges for the rehabilitation of the line.
The construction is anticipated to take two years.
The minister emphasized the government's commitment to kick-start the Standard Gauge Railway.
An agreement has already been signed between the governments of Kenya and Uganda to facilitate this project and enhance connectivity.
Gen Katumba highlighted the aim of these railway lines, which is to decrease business costs and support the oil sector.
He asked courts to impose strict penalties on individuals who vandalize railway lines.
He also announced that China Roads and Bridges Limited, the railway line contractors, would be funding five scholarships for needy students from each district the Tororo-Gulu Railway line passes through as part of their corporate social responsibility.
Waiswa Bageya, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Works and Transport, informed stakeholders that the revival of the line was overdue, as it had been inactive for 30 years.
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"Land disputes that had hindered the commencement of the works have now been resolved through proper compensation," he said.
Bageya further urged the Uganda Railways Corporation to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of their railway services.
The district chairperson urged China Roads and Bridges, the contracting company, to provide job opportunities to the people of Tororo.
They also called on the government to expedite the implementation of the Standard Gauge Railway.
In April of this year, the China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) signed a contract with the Ugandan government to rehabilitate the Tororo to Gulu section of the meter gauge railway line.
This 375-kilometer railway line passes through Mbale, Soroti, and Lira before reaching the Gulu Logistics Hub (GLH), extending the total distance of the northern corridor to over 700 kilometers.
The rehabilitation of the Tororo-Gulu line is scheduled to take 24 months, with an additional month given to the contractor to prepare the necessary materials, equipment, and workforce.
This project is entirely funded by the government of Uganda, aiming to enhance the stock and quality of strategic infrastructure for Uganda's competitiveness.
The project also seeks to create an integrated transport infrastructure and services in the country.
Uganda still has work to do to rehabilitate the colonial-era meter gauge railway to alleviate pressure on the roads.
The main railway line from Malaba to Kampala has already been rehabilitated through an 84-billion-shilling project contracted to the China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC).
