Southern railway line to be constructed in earnest

The government has put in its future plans to revive railway transport services in southern regions in order to facilitate transportation of coal mine from Mchuchuma and Liganga for industrial processing, the Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa has said. The Premier was responding to an impromptu question directed to him last week in parliament by Lushoto legislator Shabani Omari Shekilindo (CCM) who wanted to know as currently the government is engaged in the Standard Gauge Railways (SGR), what plans it has to revamp an old railway line connecting Dar es Salaam to Tanga-Moshi and Arusha. 

The Premier Majaliwa said that, all railway lines in the country have been targeted for modernization including the east-northern railway line whose detailed feasibility study design is already prepared and awaiting for the execution when money is available. He said that, the government is planning to develop this railway line with the aim of increasing transportation of both cargo and passengers such as Cement from Tanga cement factory and other industrial commodities manufactured in Tanga, Kilimanjaro and Arusha  regions respectively. He further noted that, the development of these railways which were first built during German colonial period which lasted in 1918 after the end of First World War in the country, have proper link to increase the country’s industrialization program as it will also help serve traders from Kenya.