Dakar, March 24 (APS) – Work on the construction of the Bus rapid transit (BRT) “has made great progress”, welcomed, on Friday, the Minister of Infrastructure, Land Transport and Opening up, Mansour Faye, stressing that the commercial operation is planned for the ”last quarter” of the year.
”The observation is that the work has progressed well. We have noticed that the general traffic lanes have been practically all freed up. The workers are under construction at the stations”, declared the minister, who said he hoped that ”the delivery of the infrastructure as a whole will be made by the due date”.
Mansour Faye was speaking to the press at the end of a visit to the sites located between the RTS and Gadaye, in the department of Guédiawaye.
“I can express satisfaction with the whole team accompanying me (…), to say that the works of the BRT will be received on the date set for effective commercial operation in the last quarter of 2023″, said- he indicated. He pointed out that ”the issue of sanitation, which had caused real difficulties, is over 99% resolved”.
”In the dynamics of operation, infrastructure such as the Case bi flyover, the BRT depot in Gadaye and the command center at Grand Médine, will be delivered at the same time”, assured the minister.
He invited all stakeholders “to be ready”, for “an effective inauguration in October and at the latest in November 2023.
Believing that the deadlines are “tight”, he indicated that he would put pressure on the entities involved to “respect the commitments”.
The Minister thinks that even if the works have been completed at ”70%”, caution must be exercised, because ”in terms of building infrastructure, finishing takes a lot of time”.
He also announced that the first bus received in Dakar ”a few days ago”, will be presented during the Senegal Independence Day parade on April 4th. Twenty other articulated buses of “18.70 meters” will be received in Dakar in June. A total of 125 buses in this category will provide global service.
In charge of the works, the Chinese company CRBC ensures that “everything will be ready during the period indicated to accommodate the buses”.
CS/OID/ASG
