Africazine:
The EThekwini Municipality is making significant strides in enhancing passenger rail services in Durban.
Mayor Cyril Xaba praised the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) for its R11 billion signalling and telecommunications programme. This initiative aims to modernize rail services, with an additional R2 billion allocated for the rehabilitation of the Umlazi Corridor, which serves the highest number of train passengers in the province.
PRASA’s Major Investment in Rail Services
PRASA is currently implementing a comprehensive R11 billion programme focused on upgrading signalling and telecommunications across various rail corridors. This investment is expected to greatly enhance the safety and reliability of train services in the region.
In addition to the signalling upgrades, PRASA is investing R2 billion specifically in the Umlazi Corridor. This corridor is vital as it carries the largest volume of train passengers in KwaZulu-Natal.
Projected Growth in Passenger Numbers
Upon completion of the upgrades, trains will operate at intervals of three to five minutes. This improvement is projected to increase annual passenger numbers from 1.8 million to 10 million.
To meet this anticipated demand, PRASA has already procured 101 new trains, ensuring that the rail network can accommodate the growing number of users.
Upcoming Milestones for PRASA
- Next month, PRASA will unveil the first of seven completed signalling sections.
- The initial section will cover the corridor between Crossmoor and Havenside.
- The second section will focus on the Rossburgh to Pinetown Corridor.
Investing in rail infrastructure is key to transforming public transport in Durban.
