Train lines to temporarily shut down in Gauteng for restoration
The shutdown is due to a planned phase by Prasa that will eventually allow them to run more efficient train services and introduce electrical trains.
Train lines at various parts of Pretoria are set to be temporarily shut down due to refurbishments.
This comes after substations were vandalised and infrastructure stolen during the Covid-19 hard lockdown in 2020.
The shutdown is due to a planned phase by the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa).
It will eventually allow them to run more efficient train services and introduce electrical trains as part of its modernisation programme.
“The disruption of these services would come at a huge cost to rail commuters, but the benefits will be worth the pain felt in the interim,” said Prasa spokesperson Andiswa Makanda.
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“The three lines will become construction sites as the appointed contractors will take over the lines to start the rehabilitation and restoration work.”
Makanda the railway line to Pienaarspoort, Pretoria and Naledi to Johannesburg would be unavailable from May 23.
“Work between Pretoria and Kaalfontein is scheduled to start in the next few weeks and expected to resume services by the end of October,” Makanda said.
She said the closure of three lines would also take place as follows:
– Pienaarspoort to Pretoria: May 23 until August 2022
– Naledi to Johannesburg: May 23 until September 2022
– Leralla to Elandsfontein: May 30 until October 2022
In April 2021, Prasa devised an “accelerated corridor” approach to recovering services focusing on the top 10 high volume passenger rail corridors for the initial resumption of services.
She said Prasa selected about 10 corridors for refurbishment, based on the demand for services the extent of damage and the time required to recover and rehabilitate the infrastructure.
“This phased-in approach in recovering the lines is based on the extent of damage and the time it would take to rehabilitate the damaged infrastructure,” she said.
Makanda said the termination of train services was necessary to allow for the rehabilitation and restoration of the electrical cables and traction.
She said the sustained theft and vandalism of Prasa’s rail assets had disrupted train services in the country severely.
Prasa also suffered at the hands of extensive crime due to issues such as the cancellation of security contracts.
This situation was further made worse by the travel bans imposed during the level 5 hard lockdown, which left infrastructure vulnerable.
Services would be brought back in phases, after scheduled completion days.
In Gauteng, Prasa was currently working on four priority corridors which would be ready to run train services by the end of October.
Langa – Pinelands on #CentralLineCT 90% complete . A limited service is expected to resume end July 2022 . @MbalulaFikile @Dotransport pic.twitter.com/T8EL9kvvgv
— PRASA Group (@PRASA_Group) May 13, 2022
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