Addis Ababa Light Railway is reportedly to come to end earlier than it was scheduled to. This year so far 30 per cent of the project is complete. The hope is the railway will be ready for service in the latter months of 2014.
The 656 km long Addis Ababa-Djibouti Railway is under-construction through two contractors, one from Addis to Mi’eso and the other Mi’eso to Dewele. The Addis-Mi’eso line is finalizing 90 km bridge and Calvert construction while the other line is reading 70km to lay the way for rail.
According to Fana Broadcast Corporate report, Transport Minister Driba Kuma said the national railway line may take longer period than the earlier estimates suggest. Addis Ababa-Bedele, Awash-Woldiya, Mekele-Tajura, and Mojjo-Hawassa-Woyito railways are to commence construction next Ethiopian year.
Documents say railway construction consumes up to US$ 13 million in difficult terrains and US$ 5 million in leveled fields. The finance for Addis Ababa light railway, which is US$ 400 million, has already been secured. Besides, Chinese Exim Bank has agreed to release finance of around US$ 2.8 billion on the last days of May 2013.
Indian government agrees to finance US$ 300 million for construction of the Asayita-Tajura line. Ethiopia hopes to ink the loan agreement with India as soon as possible.
There are railway lines that still don’t get the finance for construction. These include the railway line from Mekele-Woldiya, and Woldiya-Awash. The country hopes to get finance from Turkish Exim Bank for Woldiya-Awash railway line.
The report indicates there are hopes to solicit more finance from Brazil and Russia for construction of the rest of the railway lines. Ethiopia is up to establish a 2300 km railway lines in this scheme.
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Source: ERTA – May 9, 2013
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