Light Rail Project Takes Shape as Bidding Set for End of January

11 years, 9 months ago - 24 January 2013, the Independent

Works for the Mauritius Light Rail Transit System (MLRT) are scheduled to start by October 2014, as announced recently by Cabinet of Ministers.

A multi-criteria workshop, between technical officials from Singapore and Mauritius, will be held by the end of January 2013, prior to the floating of the international expression of interest scheduled for mid-February 2013.

Thereafter, firms/consortia that will pre-qualify from this initial bidding exercise will be short listed to participate in a request for proposals (tender) in September 2013.

A project of such magnitude usually takes between 3 and 5 years for completion.

A specific project team, the Mass Transit Unit (MTU), within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, National Development Unit, Land Transport and Shipping (MPI), has been set up to deliver the MLRT, and is led by Koshik Reesaul.

“We want the MLRT to be a sustainable and viable project to bequeath to the future generations of Mauritius, as well,” he said.

Accordingly, the MLRT system will be the right complementary system, along with the current extensive bus network, to serve the mobility needs in the densely populated conurbation.

The MLRT will not solve traffic congestion on its own but will accompany a series of strong public transport policies and traffic restraint measures in the main urban centres.

The MLRT project is being implemented in collaboration with the Singapore government.