DAR ES SALAAM, Dec. 4 (Xinhua) -- The Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) on Wednesday announced a 13-day suspension of passenger train services in Tanzania due to multiple track closures.
TAZARA said in a statement that services, including the Kilimanjaro and Udzungwa trains, were halted on Nov. 29 and are scheduled to resume on Dec. 12.
Regina Tarimo, TAZARA's public relations officer, attributed the suspension to a series of unforeseen incidents disrupting the railway's ability to provide safe and reliable transportation.
Over the past month, TAZARA has faced over 10 operational challenges, including rail buckling, rail cutting, and freight train derailments. These incidents have necessitated the temporary closure of several sections of the railway to allow for urgent repairs, according to the statement.
TAZARA assured passengers that maintenance teams, engineers, and stakeholders are working tirelessly to restore the railway's operations.
The TAZARA railway, known as the "Uhuru Railway" or "Independent Railway," was constructed as a turnkey project between 1970 and 1975 with an interest-free loan from China. Commercial operations began in July 1976, spanning 1,860 km from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, to New Kapiri Mposhi, Zambia.
