ADDIS ABABA – Addis Ababa Light Rail Transit Service said an agreement has been reached with the government of China to build a comprehensive maintenance workshop in Addis Ababa.
The Company’s General Manager Muluken Assefa told The Ethiopian Herald that the company has to ship some parts to China for maintenance suffering a high cost incurred in addition to its impact on the services.
It takes two to three months until the parts get repaired and come back to the hinterland, he added.Mentioning that there are two maintenance depots—fully operated by Ethiopians—in Addis Ababa, he said these depots can give only intermediate-level maintenance services.
Maintenance Center Director at the Company, Tamene Shimelis, explains that parts like wheels and bogies are not still being repaired locally, according to him. “But now, with the full support of the Chinese government, the workshop will take shape in Addis Ababa.”
“Right now, site selection and pre-design works are ongoing,” he added.Ethiopian Railways Corporation has fully taken over the management of the project, he said. For his part, Muluken unveiled that Addis Ababa Light Rail Transit has not yet received a performance certificate from Ethiopian Railways Corporation or other independent bodies.
An agreement has been reached with the contractor to address construction-related deficiencies and other related issues, he added.
The Ethiopian Herald, December 27/2019
BY ABDUREZAK MOHAMMED
