Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – Partial road closing are occurring throughout Addis as the construction of new light rail begins.

State owned Ethiopian Railway Corporation (ERC) and the Addis Ababa City Traffic Police announced that the road from Abune Petros Square to Minilik II Square has been fully closed for the construction.

The roads around Civil Service College, Lideta Church, Buna Board and St Joseph School have partially closed for traffic activities.

Abebe Mihiretu, Public Relation head of ERC told Capital that the roads that partially closed have sufficient space for the traffic activity. “But drivers need to pay attention when they use these areas.”

The Chinese company China Railway Eryuan Engineering Group (CREEC) has been awarded the 37.381Km Addis Ababa light rail transit project and began working early this year.

The railway stretches mainly from Defence Forces Hospital to Ayat Village, which is 17.26Km, with other tracks that will lead from Meskel Square to Kality (16.246Km) and the 3.875Km rail line from Lideta to Menilik Square.

The Addis Ababa light rail transit project also designed by CREEC is expected to be financed 60 percent by the Chinese government and 40 percent from the coffers of the Ethiopian government.

The 37.381Km  Addis Ababa light rail transit project is estimated to cost over USD 400 million and is scheduled to be completed in two and half years. “This is one of the projects that expected to be finished during the Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP),” Abebe explained.

Currently, the construction located from Ayayt to Civil Service College located in eastern Addis Ababa is actively taking place. The railway work in other parts of the city will begin by  the end of the rainy season. According to source, the railway from Ayat-Megenagna will partially open for service when it is completed. It is unknown exactly when that will be but it expected occur before the other light rail projects.

The Ethiopian Railway Corporation has also signed with CREEC to construct the first lot of the 317Km Addis Ababa-Me’eso railway line.

The second part of the 340Km Me’eso-Dire Dawa-Dawale electric railway project was awarded to another Chinese state owned enterprise China Civil Construction Corporation (CCECC) on December 16.

The Ethiopian government plans to construct more than 2,000Km of rail lines during the five year Growth and Transformation Plan.

 

 

Source: http://www.ethiosports.com