According to a statement that was issued by the Minister of Transport of Tanzania, Professor Makame Mbarawa, the $10.4 billion Tanzania Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) will kick off its services between Dar es Salaam and Morogoro by the end of the month of January in the year 2024. This statement was released after recent trials of the engine of the train was conducted.
During the month of November in the year 2020, the Prime Minister of Tanzania Kassim Majaliwa, paid a visit to the Morogoro SGR project and showed satisfaction towards the construction developments in place of the railway section. During that time, the completion status of this section of the railway was at 90 per cent and made a promise to the citizens of the country that the maiden trip would start by the month of April in the year 2021. In the month of March, the year 2021, the previous Minister of Construction and Transport, Dr Leonard Chamuriho, made a statement in Morogoro that the Tanzania SGR railway would kick off in the month of August the same year. However, this promised was not fulfilled as the Prime Minister differed to the month of August the same year.
Also read: Tanzania SGR Operations to Kick Off Soon
Tanzania SGR Construction Progess
During this meeting that was held, the director general of Tanzania Railway Commission (TRC) stated that the construction progress of the 300 kilometers Tanzania SGR had attained a 97 per cent completion status as of the month of June 2023. The initial tests that were conducted by the engineers of the project gave quite impressive results providing a signal for the readiness of other upcoming trials that will be held in the coming future.
Speaking recently at a meeting of seven individuals of the Central Transport Union (CCTTFA) ministers from Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania and Uganda, Professor Mbarawa stated that the services of the railway would officially kick off at the end of the month of January in the year 2024. The services that will be offered by the railway during this time will be of passenger transportation and not cargo.
This ambitious Tanzania SGR project extends to a total of more than 2,102 kilometers establishing very vital links with the neighboring countries like Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). This project has placed Tanzania as a key center of business and transport in the East Africa region by promoting enhanced connectivity and aspects of trade.
