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Other countries in South Africa are investing in rail

por Patricia

Angola, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Zambia and Mozambique are other countries in the Southern African cone who want to renew their railway networks. The success achieved in South Africa and the imperative need to export its raw materials have led their governments to invest in the sector.

ANGOLA

According to the strategic direction of the Government Program for Transport for the quadrennial 2009-2012, priorities were: total recovery of the national railway system, upgrading and modernization of the railway company offices, acquisition of new equipment, rehabilitation of equipment already used and a connection with the existing rail system of neighbouring countries, as well as the establishment of vocational training centres dedicated to the rail sector.

At the time of independence, Angola had 3,052 km of track, leaving almost all infrastructures inoperative during the war. The national system uses a gauge of 1,067 m in 2,800 km of roads and 0.60 m in other 154 Km. Today’s rail network is formed by three main lines. CFL (Luanda Railway Company), CFB (Benguela Railway Company) and CFM (Namibe Railway Company).

As recently said by Angola´s Transport Minister, Augusto da Silva Tomás, Angola will build three railway lines soon in the capital with the objectives of improving public passenger transport and encouraging the development of national economy. He also said that the installation of metropolitan railways in Luanda is at the stage of feasibility, as there is a need to grow in the passenger transport sector.

In parallel, the African country is promoting a plan for the development of a railroad that will link Angola to neighbouring Zambia and Namibia, which is important for the revitalization of integrated trade between the three States.

Projects to be completed before 2017

During the recent participation of the General Director of the National Institute of Angola in the V International Railway Convention organized by Mafex, he specified that before 2017 the following must be completed:

 Duplication of track in Luanda’s suburban area (Luanda-Baia, 36 kms), and the construction of roads for passengers in order to eliminate 12 level crossings.

◗ Construction of a new line (11 km double track) joining the CFL line with the International Airport of Luanda (NAIL).

◗ Construction of 6 new intermodal stations in the suburban area of Luanda.

◗ Acquisition of 10 locomotives (4 DMU cars) for the suburban traffic of Luanda.

◗ Construction of new DMU maintenance and repair offices.

◗ Construction of a logistics platform in Lombe (Malange).

◗ Construction of a logistics platform in Lubango (Huíla).

◗ Construction of a logistics platform in Menongue (Cuando Cubango).

◗ Construction of a logistics platform in Luau (Moxico).

◗ Construction of 3 new professional training centres.

 In addition, the Lobito Corridor runs through four provinces: Benguela, Huambo, Bie and Moxico and integrates important territorial areas in the DRC and Zambia. This will make major advances in ports, platforms, etc.

Projects under study

◗ Creation of a rail structure linking Luanda-Malange with the new Luanda airport and the new port Barra do Dande, as well as building a new line to the north.

 Build a light rail network in Luanda (RFLL).

 In addition, the country aims to expand the network of CFL Malange to the Democratic Republic of Congo, build a line from Luacano (CFB) to Zambia (± 510 kms), build a line from Junction (CFM) to Namibia, expand the line from CFM Menongue to Zambia, thus connect the three existing lines forming a railway link with neighbouring countries.

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