President Nyusi reopens Cuamba-Lichinga railway line today – Mozambique

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President Nyusi reopens Cuamba-Lichinga railway line today – Mozambique

12:39 CAT | 03 Nov 2016

presidencia.gov.mz

President Filipe Nyusi will reopen the Cuamba-Lichinga railway line in Lichinga, Niassa province, today.

On the same visit, the President will re-inaugurate the Ngungunhane Industrial and Commercial Institute and launch a mosquito nets distribution campaign.

The reopening of the Cuamba-Lichinga railway line will boost development in the province by allowing the free flow of goods with a consequent reduction in prices.

The rehabilitation of the railway line, to be witnessed today by state dignitaries and guests, comes after several years of disuse, and at a cost of about US$100 million.

The 262-kilometre line has been inoperative for several years due to the deterioration of components such as the wooden sleepers, making the line unsafe. Rehabilitation began in June 2014 and entailed replacing ballast, substituting concrete sleepers and replacing rails in order to improve safety.

Two weekly freight trains and two passenger passengers will initially run on the reopened line, with numbers increasing as demand rises. Trains will make the Lichinga-Cuamba journey in about six hours.

The most significant impact of renewed train traffic between Cuamba and Lichinga will be the reduction in the cost of transported goods by about 60 percent. These include construction materials, fuel, agricultural inputs and manufactured and food products from Nacala in Nampula province, which were until now coming into Niassa by road.

The President is accompanied by Ministers of Transport and Communications, Carlos Mesquita, Science and Technology, Jorge Nhambiu,Health, Nazira Abdula,Public Works, Housing and Water Resources, Carlos Boete Martinho.