By The Insight Post Uganda
Kampala-Uganda
Have you ever wondered why the government decided to build two different railway lines instead of just one? Well, that’s exactly what the Parliament Committee on National Economy is asking right now.
They are questioning the government’s choice to ignore the option of using a dual gauge railway track and instead go for the Metre Gauge Railway and the Standard Gauge Railway Project separately.
To figure out what’s going on, the committee recently went to check out the progress of the metre gauge track on the Kampala-Mukono railway line.
While they were there, they had to decide whether to approve a loan that was previously accepted by the last parliament in May 2021.
But there were some changes made to the loan terms, so the committee had to consider those too. It’s a big decision, and they want to make sure they have all the facts before moving forward.
A railway track, also known as a railroad track or simply a track, is the physical infrastructure that provides a path for trains to travel on. It consists of a set of parallel steel rails that are supported by various components such as sleepers (or ties), ballast, and track fasteners.
The rails are typically made of steel and are laid on a bed of ballast, which is a layer of crushed stones or gravel. Sleepers, placed at regular intervals, provide support and hold the rails in position. Track fasteners secure the rails to the sleepers to maintain stability and ensure proper alignment. The railway track serves as a guide for trains, allowing them to move safely and smoothly along the designated route.
During their visit, the committee was surprised to learn that the company contracted by the government to produce concrete sleepers for the replacement of the old railway track could actually manufacture and implement a dual gauge railway.
This means that the company has the capability to build a railway track that can accommodate both metre gauge and standard gauge trains.
While the government is currently focused on the concrete metre gauge project, it is also acquiring more land for the implementation of the standard gauge railway project.
At the factory, the engineers demonstrated the concept of three gauges, confirming that they have the ability to implement them easily. A dual gauge track can have three rails sharing one sleeper, or it can have four rails with narrower gauge rails lying beside broader gauge rails.
According to the Project Coordinator at the factory, a dual gauge means having two different track sizes on the same railway line.
The sleepers are designed to accommodate all the different rail sizes. He mentioned that dual gauge systems are commonly used in Western countries and have proven to be more efficient, especially in Spain where two trains can use the same line.
One of the engineers involved in the project believes that implementing a dual gauge railway would reduce costs, particularly in acquiring additional land for the Standard Gauge Railway, compensating affected parties, making construction adjustments, and producing sleepers. It would also lower the expenses for repairs and maintenance.
The Chairperson of the Committee on National Economy, John Bosco Ikojo, is disappointed and wonders why the government decided to have two separate railway lines instead of implementing a dual gauge system.
He believes that insufficient research by the country’s planning department often leads to unnecessary spending.
On the other hand, the Chief Commercial Officer at Uganda Railways Corporation, Stephen Wakasenza, argues that any alternative option would require a significant amount of money to implement. He suggests that in the future, the country can consider constructing a dual gauge railway after experiencing the benefits of different alignments used interchangeably in many other countries.
Currently, the Uganda Railways Corporation is working on refurbishing the Metre Gauge Railway from Malaba to Kampala. The parliament committee is still considering a loan that was approved by the previous parliament in May 2021. The terms of the loan have been modified, reducing the loan amount and providing a portion of the funds as a grant for completing the refurbishment.
Parliament approved a loan request of UGX1.39 Trillion for the refurbishment project. The 250-kilometer Kampala-Malaba railway connects Uganda’s capital with Kenya at the Malaba border. The project will be funded by the African Development Fund (ADF), the African Development Bank (ADB), and the Corporate Internationalization Fund of Spain.
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