Mozambique: Five dams to undergo maintenance works
Photo: Governo do Distrito de Mutarara
The railway linking the central Mozambican port of Beira with neighbouring Malawi is expected to be reopened in the first half of next year following extensive reconstruction on the spur off the Sena line that runs between the Dona Ana bridge over the Zambezi River to Vila Nova da Fronteira on the border been paralysed since September 1986, when it was sabotaged by the apartheidbacked Renamo rebels during the war of destabilisation.
Mozambique’s President Filipe Nyusi laid the first stone for the reconstruction of the spur in May this year and work has already been completed on 44 kilometres of the track, which has a budget of 30 million US dollars. A further 26 kilometres of railway has been completed on the Malawian side.
Once operational, the line will take much of the traffic between Beira and Malawi off the road network. It will also compete with the rail route between Malawi and the northern Mozambican port of Nacala.
According to Wednesday’s issue of the Maputo daily “Noticias”, the Secretary of State for Tete province, Elisa Zacarias, inspected the construction work on Tuesday. During her visit she noted that “the work in Malawi is also ongoing and soon we will be able to open”.
The Executive Director of Mozambique’s publicly owned ports and rail company, CFM, for the central region, Asinio Bainha, explained that technical work is continuing on the Mozambican side of the line including the completion of signalling and railway crossings. However, he stressed that there is no rush because some of the work can be completed whilst the trains are running and, in addition, the main delay is on the Malawian side.
Mozambique’s President Filipe Nyusi was in Malawi on a three-day state visit. On Monday, he announced in Lilongwe that Mozambique is ready to support Malawi in concluding the railway project.
In total, the line covers 115 kilometres with 71 kilometres lying on the Malawian side.
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