Tanzania has unveiled the third phase in the country’s ongoing construction of electric powered Standard Gauge Railway to link Makutupora with Tabora along 294 kilometers.
The rail is advancing fast as the country targets to link Rwanda, Burundi and DR Congo with the new SGR.
The construction of a Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) targets to replace the rather aged and less efficient meter-gauge railway system.
Apparently, the proposed Standard Gauge Railway is capable of supporting heavier loads coupled with high speed, compared to the older current Meter Gauge Railway (MGR).
Set to deploy electric locomotives, the new SGR can ferry passengers and cargo shipments at 160 kilometers per hour.
In future the Standard Gauge Railway line will link the port of Dar es Salaam with the neighboring landlocked countries of Rwanda and Burundi, as well as the Eastern Parts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Tanzanian Standard Gauge Railways measure 1,219 kilometers within the in-country network. It will cost USD 7.5 billion.
It is being developed in five phases starting from Dar es Salaam to Morogoro at 300 kilometers, which is now complete.
Phase Two runs from Morogoro to Makutupora, covering 422 kilometers.
The just unveiled Phase Three now links Makutupora to Tabora at 294 kilometers.
From there, the country will embark on the Fourth Phase measuring 130 kilometers to link Tabora with Isaka.
Isaka is going to be the branching point. Here one arm will be extending to Mwanza with an added 249 kilometers in Phase Four to wind up the in-country, Dar to Lake Zone SGR network.
The second arm of the SGR to be developed in future with start again from Isaka, heading to Rwanda, Burundi and DR Congo.
Tanzania already connects its Dar-es-salaam city with Zambia via the Tanzania-Zambia Railway (TAZARA), built in the 70s.
The ongoing elctric SGR construction was inaugurated by the late Tanzania President John Pombe Magufuli on 12th April 2017.
Turkish Contractor Company, Yapi Merkezi undertakes the works in association with Mota Engil Africa from Portugal.
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