Mulobezi Railway upgrade creates 600 jobs

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Upgrading of the Mulobezi Railway line network has created at least 600 jobs since January this year after Government took over operations through Zambia Railways Limited (ZRL).
Transport, Works, Supply and Communication Minister Yamfwa Mukanga said six different contractors had been engaged to upgrade the Mulobezi Railway line network since January this year and each contractor had employed about 100 workers.
Mr Mukanga said once major rehabilitation works were done,  the speed of the Mulobezi Train was expected to increase to about 50 kilometres from the current speed of 20 kilometres per hour.
He was speaking in Livingstone yesterday at a media briefing after concluding his inspection of upgrading works on Mulobezi Railway line.
Mr Mukanga, who jumped into the Mulobezi train to inspect rehabilitation works, discovered that ZRL was on top of things as more works had been done since January this year.
“If you remember, Mulobezi Train used to take two days from Livingstone to Mulobezi or vice versa but time has been reduced to between 20 and 24 hours because of various works currently taking place,” Mr Mukanga said.
Major rehabilitation works were expected to be completed by June, this year and that eight refurbished coaches with flushable toilets will soon be taken to Mulobezi Railway line.
Government, which took over Mulobezi railway line from a concessionaire,  Larsons General Contractors Limited, needs about US$100 million to do an overhaul of the rail track.

Times of Zambia

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