North-West railway line construction smells start- Zambia
CONSTRUCTION of the long-awaited US$1.2 billion North-West railway line will start soon.
Implementation of the project is expected to unlock immense economic potential of the Lobito corridor in Angola, Zambia and Democratic Republic of Congo.
In 2016, the company did a railway line demonstration unit in Chingola and the project was expected to get underway in January 2017 but delayed due to some challenges.
North-West Railway Limited chairman Enoch Kavindele said Government has 30 percent shareholding through provision of land on which the railway
line will be constructed.
“We have advertised for services of land to survey the route. We have already don the survey by air to mark the route. We have funders for the project and we are now preparing for President Edgar Lungu to come and do the ground-breaking ceremony for the project to start. We have already sent the invitation to State House,” Mr Kavindele said in an interview on Tuesday.
Survey works for phase one from Chingola to Kalumbila have started.
The second phase will run from Kalumbila to the Angolan town of Luacano to join the Bengueka railway line.
Mr Kavindele said the project is expected to create over 4,800 jobs during construction and will be completed in three years.
The implementation of the project will create employment for the locals, open up the area and contribute to development in the mining sector.
The railway line is cardinal in resolving the transportation hurdles faced by mining companies in North-Western Province and will involve the construction of about 580 kilometres railway line to link Zambia with Angola..
source: Zambia Daily Mail
