Zambia and Botswana have signed a US
$259m agreement to construct a 430-km-long railway to link the two countries
across the Kazungula Bridge. Both countries have agreed in principle to
construct the railway line and have it completed and commissioned by June 2020.
The project aims to reduce transit
time and transportation costs for both the people and goods traded, boosting
trade among other member states in the region. The railway project dubbed,
‘Mosetse-Kazungula-Livingstone’, will run across the bridge once completed.
The actual cost of the project will
be established after undertaking a feasibility study. According to Zambia
Railways board chairperson Lubinda Linyama, the railway line will reduce transit
time and transportation costs for both the people and goods and it will also
help increase trade in the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
The railway construction programme is
at its infancy currently hoping for the completion of the more than 900-m-long
Kazungula bridge after technocrats from both countries and other financiers
have finalised the legal framework expected to be received in due course.
Linyama allayed fears that the bridge
would not be complete in the scheduled time following rescheduling the
completion timetable, but confirmed that the two countries were determined to
ensure the project was completed as planned despite challenges faced in recent
months.
His counterpart Adolf Hechfeld, was
optimistic that the two countries will work expeditiously to complete the
project using the Kenya model of building an elevated railway line through the
national park.
The railway line in Kenya, traversing through the national park, is built like a bridge. This is to ensure the animal corridors remain open; a concept that allows free management of animals while preventing accidents in the national parks.https://constructionreviewonline.com/2019/07/botswana-zambia-to-construct-railway-across-zambezi/
