NRZ pushes for subsidies

TENDAI BHEBE IN BULAWAYO 

The National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) is pushing the government to provide rate subsidies for the urban commuter train services.

Speaking at the NRZ board meeting, the parastatal’s board chairman, Martin Dinha said the move would allow the company to service more urban routes, a situation which also helps lessen transport woes experienced in urban areas.

“As NRZ we request the government to provide rate subsidies for the commuter train service which we offer in our urban areas. In this way we should be able to roll out more services to suburbs with rail like the Emganwini route.

“Our passenger services particularly in the commuter trains such as the one that runs in this area, Luveve Cowdray Park are never profit oriented but community and social based,” Dinha said.

The call comes at a time when the NRZ in partnership with ZUPCO is running an intra-city commuter rail service for Cowdray Park and other neighbouring suburbs in Bulawayo.

The move falls under the government’s priority for a decent, adequate and efficient public transport system. Under the agreement with ZUPCO, NRZ is hiring out its locomotives and coaches to the State-owned transporter.

Dinha said the NRZ was grateful to the government as the board continues to rely on government support to ensure that it achieves the objective of running and turning around the fortunes of NRZ.

“As such we recognise the motherly assistance of the shareholder in terms of proposed capital injection being set aside for the organisation,” Dinha said.

Meanwhile, NRZ on Tuesday commemorated its third Zimbabwe Railway Safety week.

Dinha said the event was not only for NRZ but also for all member organisations in the Southern Africa Railway Association and members of the public.

“As NRZ we are concerned that most if not all unsafe activities around our tracks are being caused by members of the public. As a result we have encountered a number of challenges in our operations such as the railroad level crossing accidents, suicides on the tracks, stone throwing, vandalism and theft and illegal mining and gold panning,” he said, adding that illegal gold mining was destroying NRZ infrastructure.

“We continue to work with the law enforcement agencies to end this. We are confident we will eventually win the war but at what cost? Throughout the country our train reserved land is not protected at all.”