Ministers of Infrastructure from Rwanda, Burundi and Tanzania are scheduled to meet in Kigali next month to approve the study on the railway line linking the three countries.

According to the Minister of Infrastructure Eng. Linda Bihire, during the regional meeting, a final study on the railway construction and upgrading of the Dar -es -Salaam port will be presented for approval.

"Precisely this means that the railway study will end within two weeks,” said Bihire.

She added that the cost of construction will also be discussed during the Ministers’ meeting.

The total length of Isaka-Kigali, Keza Musongati is 691.7km.
Experts are anticipating that construction of the railway, which is scheduled to begin any time soon, is likely be completed by 2014.

Currently, Rwanda is in charge of coordinating the project and the current plan for the railroad is to have a modern high-speed train that travels with a minimum speed of 120 kilometres per hour.

Upon completion, most importers and exporters are expected to shift from Mombasa port to Dar es Salaam port as it will become possible to deliver imports to Kigali within a single day, as opposed to the six days it currently takes for imports from Dar es Salaam via the Central Corridor.

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