Harare in line for light rail network

In the Zimbabwean capital approval has been given for a USD 3bn light rail project to receive National Project status, and be implemented in five stages under a PPP contract through the Zimbabwe Investment and Development Agency. An investor is providing USD 5M to fund engineering and environmental assessments. The first stage will be a 14km linking the city centre with the western suburb of Kuwadzana and could be completed within five years. Stage 2 will be a 30km line to the south (Chitungwiza), followed by a 20km line to Mabvulu-Tafara in the east. Phase 4 would add 12km to reach the airport via Cranborne and phase 5 would extend line 1 by 11km from Kuwadzna to Mount Hampden. The network would be operated by battery-powered LRVs charged by solar panels.