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Mr. Joe Ghartey, Minister of Railway Development, speaking during the relaunch of Accra-Tema train services
The Ghana Railway Company Limited (GRCL) yesterday launched the Accra-Tema rail shuttle service for the thousands of commuters who depend on rail transport to travel daily between the capital and the industrial city.
The launch, which is expected to reorganize the railway sector after a long pause in rail service, follows the rehabilitation of the Accra-Tema railway line and the successful completion of tests on the same section.
The service, operated by a multi-unit diesel train (DMU), also marks the 120th anniversary of the introduction of rail transport in Ghana.
Yesterday's 30.8-kilometer journey from Accra Central Station to Tema Community Station 1 started at exactly 8:22 am and was described by some of the reporters on the trip as the return of "romance" rail.
Free service
The six-coach shuttle with a capacity of 600 pbadengers attracted a good number of pbadengers for a round trip of almost three and a half hours.
Among the dignitaries were Railway Development Minister Joe Ghartey; Minister of Information Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, and Director General of the Ghana Railway Development Authority, Mr. Richard Dombo.
There was also Greater Accra Regional Minister, Mr. Ishmael Ashitey, and some traditional authorities.
The others were the President of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), Mr. Mohammed Adjei Sowah; GCB Bank Managing Director Ray Sowah and SIC Insurance Executive Director Stephen Oduro.
The GRCL will offer a free service for the next two weeks, until February 11, 2019, after which it will introduce an air-conditioned commercial shuttle service from February 12 this year on the same route.
Pbadengers have to pay about 5 GH ¢ to be able to benefit from this service.
The Accra-Tema train service was suspended on October 22, 2017 when the train derailed at Alajo station with a hundred pbadengers on board between Tema and Accra.
Total lifting
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As part of the total overhaul of the train service, the revived service has elegantly dressed hosts and hostesses, cleaning agents, train drivers and security guards to ensure the comfort and convenience of the pbadengers. pbadengers.
Before leaving Accra Central Station, English-speaking hosts and hostesses, Akans and Ga welcomed guests and press personalities aboard the green-seat coach where pbadengers boarded faced.
They also took pbadengers to sit comfortably.
In a regular service, people with difficulties in finding their headquarters will receive similar badistance.
As the train whistled with a buzzer, he moved away from the central station and picked up speed.
The attendants first greeted the pbadengers with bottled water and as soon as the train had arrived at Kwame Nkrumah Circle Crossing, one of the hostesses approached them. a pbadenger who had thrown his empty water bottle on the floor of the train and politely ordered him to do so. good thing.
"Please, do not do this here because we have garbage cans in the train where you can put your empty bottle", we heard the hostess say softly.
Threats along the way
Less than 10 minutes after the start of the journey, the slow train made its first stop at the Achimota station.
Throughout the trip, it was found that a number of wooden and metal structures, washing bays, encampments, garbage dumps, mechanical workshops, vegetable farms, livestock farms, garages churches, mosques and football fields were still close to the railways. challenge that can compromise safety on the shuttle service.
"We need to tackle these illegal structural problems that could affect the movement of trains if they are not controlled," Essel said.
When the train arrived at Achimota at exactly 8:55, he had to change lanes, a process called "shunting" (maneuver), to allow him to move towards Tema.
At precisely 9:21 am, the shuttle made a brief stop at Baatsonaa Station before heading to Asoprochona Station in Sakumono, where it arrived at 9:39 am. In less than 16 minutes, it was arrival at the Tema Fishing Port Station before reaching its final destination, Community Station 1 at 10:30.
On the way back, the shuttle did not stop until it arrived at Accra Central Station at exactly 11:45 am.
Renaissance of the railway sector
Addressing the press after the launch, Ghartey said the rehabilitation of the Accra-Tema railway line was carried out "entirely with Ghanaian money and with Ghanaian experts".
"With regard to the GRCL, the renaissance of the company should mark today," he said, thanking CLC for expressing its interest in the rail sector by donating one million GH ¢ in respect of the coverage of the activities of the company. business.
"This money will be donated to the company to improve the Accra-Tema and Accra-Nsawam railway lines," he said, and called on other companies to support the rail sector as part of their social responsibility. .
Other services
Essel said the company, with government support, also rehabilitated sections of the Accra-Nsawam and Takoradi-Tarkwa railways, and that more than 10 discarded coaches had also been rehabilitated.
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