EXPANSION work on the four-kilometre rail line from the Tema Harbour to Japan Motors at Tema Community One is expected to be completed by August this year.
The project, which began in February this year at a cost of $9.4 million, is expected to provide respite for residents who travel long distances from the community to the main harbour in their quest to access train services.
Work on the project, which is being undertaken by Amandi Holdings, under the supervision of the Ghana Railway Development Authority (GRDA) and the Architectural and Engineering Services Limited (AESL), is 80 per cent complete.
Rehabilitation works, which include the construction of shopping centres, a modern car park equipped with closed-circuit televisions (CCTVs) and a crossing facility, are being carried out at the existing main harbour station at a cost of $4.8 million.
The acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the GRDA, Mr Emmanuel Opoku, disclosed this during a tour of the site by the company’s board of directors.
The delegation, led by the Board Chairman, Mr Dan Markin, also inspected work on a solar lighting project expected to power the level crossing.
He indicated that the six stop stations, namely, Japan Motors, Tema Main, Asoprochona, Batsonaa, Nungua and Achimota, were also being rehabilitated as part of service improvement process within the catchment areas.
Mr Opoku said the GRDA had also completed feasibility studies on the Tema-Akosombo rail line as part of efforts being made to revamp the line.
“We have so far received offers from consultants and individuals who want to partner the government in that regard,” he said.
He said the authority was also engaging contractors to do an evaluation of the Western rail lines which was expected to be financed under a major component of the $3 billion loan from the China Development Bank (CDB).
Mr Opoku expressed the hope that the interventions being made would revamp the sector.
Mr Markin expressed satisfaction with the progress of work.
He, however, expressed displeasure with squatters turning areas along the rail line into a trading hub and issued a three-day ultimatum to them to vacate the area or be forced out.
He also tasked the contractors working on the project to endeavour to provide barricades along the corridors of the project site to ward off intruders.
SOURCE: Della Russel Ocloo, Daily Graphic, Wed July 25, 2012
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