DAR ES SALAAM, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- The Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) said Friday that its cross-border passenger train services between Dar es Salaam in Tanzania and New Kapiri Mposhi in Zambia will reopen on Oct. 4.
A statement issued by TAZARA headquarters in the commercial capital Dar es Salaam said TAZARA passenger train services between the two destinations are set to resume following the completion of the renovation of the Chambeshi railway bridge on the Chambeshi River in Zambia.
The statement said the bridge has been reopened but the passage is currently limited to freight trains only at a restricted running speed as readings are taken to gauge the bridge performance and suitability for full train operations in the coming weeks.
"As test runs are going on, we are mobilizing and preparing the coaches for the Kilimanjaro and Mukuba passenger trains in readiness for the resumption of cross-border passenger services between Dar es Salaam and New Kapiri Mposhi," it said.
The reopening of the passenger train services was scheduled to begin on Sept. 15, but it was pushed back to Oct. 4 after the repair of the bridge was delayed due to unforeseen challenges, said the statement.
The TAZARA railway was constructed as a turnkey project between 1970 and 1975 through an interest-free loan from China, with commercial operations starting in July 1976, covering 1,860 kilometers from Dar es Salaam in Tanzania to New Kapiri Mposhi in Zambia.
