Transport Minister Prof. Makame Mbarawa has witnessed the successful trial of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) train, consisting of 14 carriages, by travelling on the train from the Dar es Salaam station to Morogoro on March 18, 2024.
The aim of the Transport Minister’s journey on the SGR train was to inspect the progress of the SGR construction along with experiencing the preparations and readiness of the staff and equipment that will be used in the operation of the SGR services soon.
Minister Mbarawa stated that the SGR train trials are currently ongoing in various technical stages to ensure safety before beginning passenger and freight transportation.
“These trials are not the first; they began in November 2023 with the testing of the train’s engine, and now we are conducting tests of the engine-pulling carriages. The first trials started with four carriages, and today we have attached 14,” said Prof. Mbarawa.
Furthermore, Minister Mbarawa praised the efforts made by the Tanzania Railways Corporation (TRC) professionals who have greatly succeeded in the second phase of the trials beyond expectations.
“I take this opportunity to congratulate the TRC team; the initial train trials were running at an average speed of 110 to 120 km/h, as the trials continue to be conducted, improvements are being made and today we travelled at 150 km/h in two hours from Dar es Salaam to Morogoro,” said Minister Mbarawa.
The Morogoro Regional Commissioner, Hon. Adam Malima, expressed his continued support for the government’s efforts in constructing the SGR, which will boost the economy of the Morogoro region through the agriculture and tourism sectors.
“For us in Morogoro, the SGR brings many blessings. On the other side of Morogoro station, we have built a cargo terminal, with the goal of reducing road congestion. Also, the Kilosa station will be used by tourists going to Mikumi and Udzungwa parks, showing how much we believe the SGR is the backbone for the Morogoro region,” said Hon. Malima.
TRC Director General Mr. Masanja Kadogosa stated that TRC is ensuring the completion of the SGR infrastructure on time and conducting safety verification trials. By early July, the SGR trains will be able to run from Dar es Salaam to Dodoma.
“Minister, the trials are still ongoing, the construction of the first section is complete by 98.98%, the major remaining part is the port entrance, but this does not prevent us from starting operations. This will enable us to fulfil the President’s directive that by July we will be able to transport passengers from Dar es Salaam to Dodoma,” said Kadogosa.
The strategic SGR project construction continues at various percentages across all sections, with the first section, Dar Es Salaam – Morogoro, completed by 98.90%, the second section, Morogoro – Makutupora, by 96.35%, the third section, Makutupora – Tabora, by 13.98%, the fourth section, Tabora – Isaka, by 5.44%, the fifth section, Mwanza – Isaka, by 54.01%, and the sixth section, Tabora – Kigoma, in the preparatory stages of construction commencement.
Source: Railways Africa