Kaushik Reesaul, Head of the MRTU: "With New Alignment Will Be Known the Cost of Light Rail"

In the interview he gave the Le Matinal, he stressed that a Project Management Service has been established and that Singaporeans will provide us a path that goes from north to south.

You are the one who will drive the light rail project. Light rail is there a reality?

We just had an agreement between the Government of Mauritius and Singapore. Singaporeans have established a Project Management Service that will see the light rail alignment, design and financing. That is to say the cost of the ticket that passengers must pay. Only after we enter the phase of the design and execution.

With all that the project may be delayed again?

Not at all. The government recently set up a Due Diligence Committee to see the report and especially the financial implications that Singaporeans have submitted. It is they who will decide everything and it was only after we know what type of trains will be in the country. Singaporeans are also responsible to exercise the tender.

Do we have already traced the project?

No. Last year, Singaporeans were at home. They moved on the old alignment and they decided it needed a new one. There have been several developments on the old alignment and this is the main reason for a new route.

Often we hear that the project will cost Rs 25 billion. Is this true?

Right now there is nothing. We must first see the new route. Only after we know the true cost of this transport because it does not even know what kind of metro they have in the country.

Light rail will he cover only the corridor Curepipe / Port Louis?

The route that Singaporeans are doing is between Curepipe and Port Louis. The government will be content at first. But in the Project Management, Singaporeans will tell us a roster that will leave Port Louis to visit the North, perhaps in Grand Bay, and another, Curepipe, will go to the South, Perhaps in Souillac. Thus, if in future the government decides to go further with the light rail in other parts of the country, we will then have an idea what will emerge.

The project will cover there Curepipe corridor / Port Louis in 32 minutes?

We do not know anything now. There will be a new layout and everything will change. After receiving this route we will then know the number of minutes that will take the trip.