Tanzania: SGR And MGR To Rely On Each Other In Freight Transportation From Dar To Kigoma
The board of directors of the Tanzania Railways Corporation (TRC) inspected the main locomotive repair workshop in the Morogoro region on February 16, 2024.
Speaking during the visit, the chairman of the TRC board, Mr Ally Karavina, stated that the visit aimed to monitor the progress of the locomotive repairs, which are crucial in ensuring the reliability of operational equipment on the Meter Gauge Railway (MGR).
Furthermore, Karavina explained that TRC plans to ensure that the operations of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) and MGR are interdependent in terms of freight train services, which will help reduce the transportation time of goods from the Dar Es Salaam Port to neighbouring countries using the port.
“We want to use the completed section of the SGR to generate revenue; we will be transporting goods from Dar Es Salaam by SGR until it reaches its limit, and from there, we will transfer the goods to the MGR to reach Kigoma,” said Mr Karavina.
To make this feasible, the Morogoro locomotive repair workshop is key in ensuring the availability of sufficient MGR locomotives.
The acting general director of TRC, Ms Amina Lumuli, mentioned the importance of the Morogoro workshop and others, stating that the corporation plans to refurbish all workshops and equip them with modern tools to enhance efficiency further.
Ms. Amina stated, “Through the construction contract of the SGR from Dar Es Salaam to Morogoro, we have a significant plan for refurbishing this Morogoro workshop along with the branch of the Railway Technology College here in Morogoro, to ensure the operation of this old railway supports the SGR in freight transportation.”
The construction of the SGR for the segments from Dar Es Salaam to Morogoro and Morogoro to Makutupora is nearing completion, with operational equipment testing ongoing between Dar Es Salaam and Morogoro. It is expected that by July 2024, passenger train services through this railway will commence between Dar Es Salaam and Dodoma.
