The rehabilitation and modernisation works of the Machipanda railway line started in August 2019 and should be concluded within two years, that is, in August 2021. The undertaking has a two-year delay, a fact that is compromising the agreements signed by the country in the context of the development of the SADC region.
Thus, according to a new guarantee from the chairman of the board of Caminhos de Ferros de Moçambique (CFM), Agostinho Langa Júnior, the Machipanda railroad should be concluded by the end of September.
Currently, the works are at a 70% level of execution. CFM’s Chairman of the Board of Directors visited the works for the first time to learn about the ongoing activities.
“Due to covid-19, many material suppliers could not meet the set deadlines. That is why we are running this slight delay. We have made a commitment today (Wednesday) to finish the works by September and have the railway line inaugurated,” said Agostinho Langa, cited by Televisão de Moçambique (TVM).
Once completed, the Machipanda line will increase cargo handling volume to 3.5 million tons per year.
The Machipanda line is 317 km long, linking the port of Beira to the neighbouring Republic of Zimbabwe, and on the Zimbabwean side it has already been fully refurbished (290 km).
