The 970 km meter-gauge Tanzania rail line that connects Dar es Salaam with Dodoma, Tabora and Isaka has announced plans to secure an advisor for a USD 1 billion public-private partnership (PPP) scheme to upgrade line.
Upgrades to the line are a part of the Big Results Now (BRN) program and includes the purchase of rolling stock, refurbished trains and plans to increase the rail weight from 28kg/m to 40kg/m.
According to Shabaan Mwinjaka, permanent secretary with the Ministry of Transport, who spoke recently at the East and Central Africa Roads and Rail Infrastructure Summit, the government of Tanzania has already borrowed USD 300 million from the World Bank as a part of the Tanzania Intermodal Railway Project to complete upgrades to the country’s railway and is currently seeking private sector partners to help address the current challenges to the rail network.
Hon. Mwinjaka went on to indicate that obstacles to the network include an ageing infrastructure, a lack of expertise and operational skills low availability and reliability of rolling stock, and an inadequate track condition, which leaves significant room for investment and partnership opportunities.
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