After three years of disruptions, Metrorail‘s Central Line, operating between Cape Town and Nyanga, is running a full service again. The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) has announced that the railway line will be effective from 5am until 7pm starting today, 22 March 2023.
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The route is one of the railway lines that was suspended due to cases of sabotage.
According to EWN, “Train services were brought to a halt by extortionists who were demanding protection fees from the Prasa contractors as well as theft of infrastructure.”
Western Cape’s Prasa regional manager, Raymond Maseko, said the trains are expected to run more efficiently with the addition of generators to help during loadshedding and additional security to ensure commuters’ safety.
“We got to a state where we worked through with the South African Police Service to develop what we call a Central Line security plan.”
“The trains are not affected by loadshedding because we have taken care of that. But what the commuters will see is that some of the stations, because of loadshedding, they will then be dark.”
“So, as we’re rolling out the generators to the different stations, we hope to improve that particular situation,” said Maseko.
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Picture: Getty Images