After a five-month suspension, the Tanzania Railways Limited (TRL) has announced resumption of passenger services effective today.
The TRL Marketing Manager, Charles Ndenge said in Dar es Salaam yesterday that the move follows major repairs of the rail sections washed away by floods at Gulwe and Kilosa stations in Dodoma and Morogoro regions respectively.
Ndenge said the services could not start earlier due to rains in the affected areas, being low lying and prone to flooding.
“Gulwe, Godegode and Kilosa stations are the most affected during heavy rains, but the company’s technicians made efforts to ensure that the work is completed,” Ndenge said.
For his part TRL Public Relations Officer Midlajy Maez admitted that the five-month suspension has impacted on the company’s revenue, saying that they announced resumption of services on May 22, this year but only a few passengers responded.
“It’s our hope that after a week of service the company turnover will also return to normal,” he said.
In January this year Tanzania Railways Limited suspended upcountry train services following damage to the rail at Gulwe and Godegode in Mpwapwa District, Dodoma Region.
More than 200 passengers who were on their way to Morogoro and Dar es Salaam from Kigoma were stranded, leading to their marching to the Dodoma Regional Commissioner’s office protesting against the disruption of their journey.
As a way forward to revamp its services along the Central Line, Tanzania Railways Limited (TRL) has already ordered 277 cargo wagons, 13 new engines, and 22 passenger coaches that will arrive in the country in September this year.
The TRL Managing Director, Kipallo Kisamfu, told The Guardian in an exclusive interview recently that the cargo wagons and passengers coaches will come from India.
He said 13 new engines ordered from the US working with the old ones are expected to improve services. The new locomotives will arrive in the country in December this year.
