Durban new rail link on track

CONSTRUCTION of the R1.3 billion, 3.5km Bridge City Rail Link (BCRL) that will connect Inanda, Ntuzuma and KwaMashu with existing rail infrastructure is on schedule and should be completed by the end of March.

This is according to Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) group chief executive, Lucky Montana, who said last week the rail link would tie in with the existing line at Duffs Road Station, with new train turnaround facilities also being constructed at Dalbridge, south of Durban.

Funded by Prasa and the eThekwini Municipality, the new link will be the largest rail infrastructure development project in the Durban area – requiring 8 000m of concrete and 1 000 tons of steel.

“Design of the BCRL was completed in July 2010, with construction kicking off in July 2011,” said Montana. “The number of direct and indirect employment opportunities on the project will reach 2 000, using local contractors and labour.”

The project has also given 10 students from Inanda, Ntuzuma, and KwaMashu the opportunity to further their studies in the engineering field.

“All these students have been placed at universities, technical colleges, and universities of technology and will be assigned to different specialist areas in the rail construction environment,” Montana said.

In February, KwaZulu-Natal Premier Dr Zweli Mkhize promised a “rail revolution” that would change the face of travel and ease congestion on the province’s roads.

In his State of the Province address, Mkhize said rail should become “the backbone of public transport in the province”.