By JULIUS PHIRI –

THE Government has expressed confidence that the railway line from Chipata will be connected to Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) once feasibility studies are concluded by China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC).
Transport, Works, Supply and Communications Minister Yamfwa Mukanga said yesterday that the corporation was trying to come up with the best options on how the railway line would be connected to TAZARA from Chipata.
Mr Mukanga said the railway line was going to boost trade in the country once it was connected to TAZARA.
The minister said there were two options on how the railway line would be connected to TAZARA.
Mr Mukanga said it was either the railway would be connected via Serenje or Mpika to TAZARA from Chipata-Mchinji railway line.
“The contractor is doing feasibility studies so that the best option can be found on how it can link to TAZARA from Chipata-Mchinji railway line,” he said.
The construction of the railway line from Eastern to Central province was projected to gobble US$1,992,028,500.
Mr Mukanga said the railway line once constructed would complete the regional integration network with the Great Lakes Region, East Africa Community and Southern African Development Community (SADC).
He said it would promote and unleash Zambia’s economic and social development.
Mr Mukanga also appealed to contractors who left the construction sites of the roads to get back and start work as the Government would pay them their dues.
He said Government was committed to ensuring that contractors were paid on time as they executed the massive road projects countrywide.