Workers oppose move to hire old coaches from Indian firm

Workers of the troubled Tanzania Railway Ltd (TRL) are opposing a move by the government to operate passenger coaches hired from India’s railway firm — Rites Ltd.

In a bid to improve railway services in the country, the company hired 23 grade three passenger coaches from the Indian parent company, Rites.

The Surface and Marine Transport Authority (Sumatra) gave TRL conditions on the type of coaches that would be allowed to operate on rail tracks in the country.

According to Sumatra, when the coaches were being manufactured, the authority’s head of inspection visited and inspected them, recommending modifications to be made.

The modifications were to be undertaken on certain components of the coaches that weren’t compatible with local (Tanzania) conditions.

TRL management was asked to furnish Sumatra with information on the way the coaches would function or be used on Tanzania’s railway system.

In addition, TRL was ordered to make sure that the coaches were used only after undergoing the necessary changes (running test), on local tracks.

After the coaches arrived in Tanzania on September 13, 2008, they were given a test run from Dar es Salaam to Morogoro.

TRL was informed of the shortcomings on the coaches that needed to be rectified by TRL.

David Mzray, public affairs manager of Sumatra, said after the adjustments were completed the authority okayed use of the coaches in Tanzania starting October 23 last year.  

Mr Mziray said the usage of the coaches effectively started in January, this year. Unfortunately in March, a passenger train with the coaches collided with a goods train between Gulwe and Igandu Stations.

“After this accident, a government committee appointed to investigate the accident recommended that the coaches be suspended from operations, until an in-depth investigation had been carried out,” he said.

Mr Mziray said TRL published a notice to stop the use of the coaches starting September 10 2009 because TRL had failed to pay the parent company (Rites) hiring fees.

The reasons given by the workers for blocking the train were that the coaches that were to be inspected didn’t deserve to be used for carrying passengers and therefore there was no need to inspect them.

The Sumatra Chief Inspector in collaboration with TRL officials had scheduled to inspect the coaches as recommended by the Government Committee that was formed to investigate the accident.