Cape Town - The Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa has celebrated the recent opening of a modern urban light railway or tram servvice, reports BBC.
The project partly funded by China’s Exim Bank, cost the African country $475 million (about R620m at R13,06/$). BBC reports that this investment is seen as a resolution to the city’s "unending transport problems".
In Addis Ababa, more than 4 million citizens use mini vans when travelling. CNN reports that the new metro will transform how the majority of Ethiopians commute to work. An estimated 60 000 people will be able to journey to the city centre with ease – a new enhancement for sub-Saharan cities. Currently two lines connect the east and west as well as the north and south of Ethiopia.
Tickets cost 6 bir, (about R3.74 at R0. 62/1 Ethiopian Bir). The train operates from 06:00 to midnight. Manager of Light Rail Project, Behailu Sintayehu told CNN that it is really exciting for all citizens.
The energy powering the metro is generated by large dams across the country. No power is taken from the city of Addis Ababa itself and no power interruptions or shortages are expected.
The preliminary stages of operation are being overseen by Shenzen, a Chinese company, as an interlinking of skills and culture between the two countries. The light rail aims to connect to the national train system by 2025 - this will see over 5 thousand kilometers of tracks across Ethiopia.
According to CNN, the long term goal is for the metro to reach Djibouti, Sudan and Gabon. The new railway could be the inspiration to transform many transport woes across African countries.
No comments:
Post a Comment