Railway concession talks to resume soon: Tanzanian minister

Negotiations between the Tanzanian government and the key investor on the concession of the Tanzania Railway Corporation (TRC) are to resume soon, according to a senior government official.

Local English newspaper The Guardian on Thursday quoted Infrastructure Development Minister Andrew Chenge as saying that talks were scheduled to re-start immediately.

"We don't want these talks to go on and on," the minister told the newspaper, "we want to enter into a contract that would benefit our people and the country."

The Tanzanian government has been negotiating concession with the Rites Consortium of India over the operation of the TRC.

The newspaper quoted Chenge as explaining that the Tanzanian government's strife to strike a win-win deal with the Indian company was the reason behind the delay of reaching a contract.

The signing of the lease-contract was originally scheduled for last month.

The TRC system has two railway lines, one running from Dar es Salaam to Tabora in the west and the other running from Ruvu to Arusha in the north. Three branch lines depart from these two lines to reach Kigoma, Mwanza and Tanga respectively.

Tanzania has a second railway system that runs from Dar es Salaam to New Kapili Mposhi of Zambia.

The two systems combined not only serve passenger and cargo transport within the country but also deliver passengers and cargo shipment through connecting rail, road and ferry route to such neighboring countries as Zambia, Kenya, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Source: Xinhua