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Prasa could partner with Chinese on Moloto Rail Development Corridor

The Moloto Rail Development Corridor is one of the “infrastructure development initiatives” included in “a memorandum of understanding” signed between the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) an China Communications Construction Company Limited of China.

That’s according to the Presidency‚ which said on Wednesday that President Jacob Zuma attended the signing in Guangzho where he “has stopped…from Hangzhou where participated in the G20 summit”.

“The construction of the rail development corridor is a direct response by government to excessive traffic congestion numerous fatal road accidents and general economic underdevelopment in the area‚” the Presidency noted.

“When President Zuma undertook a monitoring visit to Kwaggafontein outside KwaMhlanga in Mpumalanga Province‚ residents once again asked for his intervention to provide safe and efficient public transport system along the Moloto corridor.”

According to Prasa‚ the Moloto Rail Project’s “main objective is to ensure that passenger rail as the backbone of an integrated multi-modal transport system using proven state of the art rolling stock and equipment”.

 “The Moloto Development Corridor has its main objective to increase speed for buses from 70km/h to 120km/h and from 160km/h to 200km/h for standard gauge trains thereby reduce travel time for commuters‚” its website says.

 In 2014‚ Transport Minister Dipuo Peters said the feasibility study into the Moloto Rail Development Corridor was in its final stage.

The project is estimated to cost more than R30-billion‚ and Peters said then that it “is aimed at developing a safe public transportation infrastructure‚ particularly rail infrastructure alongside the notorious Moloto road between Pretoria and Mpumalanga”.

 “It is painful for us that every time we have to go and pledge condolences and also to wish those who are injured speedy recovery. I think it’s now time to act to make sure that people of that corridor begin to realise that government mean business‚” Peters told SABC at the time. – TMG Digital

 

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