The National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) will next week embark on a nationwide railway track replacement and maintenance exercise after recently importing 12,000 tons of rail from China, reported The Daily Mirror on Saturday.

NRZ spokesperson Fanuel Masikati said the replacement of the track would go a long way in curbing accidents, which claimed 50 people three years ago as a result of an aging rail network and poor signaling system.

He said the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls and the Harare-Bulawayo tracks would be given top priority during the exercise.

"The equipment for the program has already been transported into the country from China and work is starting on Monday. We have prioritized busy routes while those less busy would go under extensive track maintenance," Masikati said.

The rail network in the country has not been replaced since it was installed in 1897, having outlived its lifespan of 100 years.

Masikati said, except for being old, theft and vandalism of signal equipment is causing train delays, cancellations and even derailments resulting in the loss of lives.

The spokesperson added that the NRZ recently installed a UHF communication network between Bulawayo and Victoria Falls. This system has enhanced communication between crews and command centers, a move that has improved rail operations along this section, he said.

Masikati added that a wagon tracking system is also being put in place after the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe released funds last year.

Apart from replacing the rail track, NRZ recently embarked on a major revitalization program, which would see the upholstering of close to 3 million inter-city coach seats and improved lighting, among other developments.

The NRZ has also embarked on another program to upholster all vandalized passenger train seats for all types of passenger coaches. To date, 2,156 economy, 680 standard and 39 upper-class inter-city passenger seats have been upholstered, Masikati said.

The NRZ is in the process of acquiring eight passenger train sets, 64 inter-city coaches and 11 locomotives from China.

Source: Xinhua