NAMIBIAN RAILWAY REHAB
Posted on 03 July 2009 by Railways Africa Editor
According to a 25 June parliamentary news release, the Namibian cabinet has approved plans to rehabilitate and upgrade “worn-out” parts of the national railway, and to set up committees and sub-committees comprising officials of line ministries, TransNamib and NamPort for the purpose. The ministry of works is now in a position to call for an expression of interest from the private sector. The 332km line to Tsumeb from Kranzberg junction was highlighted recently as being badly in need of attention – so much so that passenger service to the north has been suspended. Kranzberg lies 210km from Windhoek on the main-line to Walvis Bay.
The Namibian, published in Windhoek, reports: “The Chinese locomotives bought a few years ago for millions of dollars are grounded for maintenance, but they were also found to be unsuitable for Namibian conditions. The new passenger train from Windhoek to Ondangwa, which was inaugurated with a big ceremony in August 2006, is also grounded due to the Chinese locomotives, The Namibian has reliably learnt. “The railway extension from Tsumeb to Ondangwa has cost taxpayers around N$800 million. An extension to the Oshikango border post is planned, as well as another to Oshakati. The rehabilitation of the Aus-Lüderitz railway line also has been dragging on for many years. “However, government is keen to build another new railway link, the Trans-Kalahari Railway, this time in co-operation with Botswana. Both countries recently signed an agreement to that effect.”
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