The Mauritian government has invited public tenders for the design, construction, financing, operation and maintenance of the Mauritian Light Rail Transit (MLRT) project, a PANA Correspondent reported from here.
Koshik Reesaul, Principal Engineer at the Ministry of Transportation, said the project must be carried out through Public Private Partnership (PPP).
He disclosed that mobility between the town of Curepipe in the south and the capital Port-Louis is limited to two major road corridors.
“The priority is to relieve the main road arteries and also to review its existing bus network in order to achieve an efficient multi-model public transport network that can serve Mauritius over the long term,” Reesaul indicated.
According to him, the government wants to establish new transit corridors through these city areas, together with the provision of a world-class, sustainable public transportation solution to serve commuters.
He added that increasing car ownership, a growing economy and limited options in terms of public transportation are causing increasing congestion during peak periods for commuters.
According to him, the project is aims at alleviating traffic congestion by providing an affordable and sustainable public transport alternative within the Curepipe-Port-Louis corridor.
He added that the project will be implemented in collaboration with the Singapore Corporation Enterprise and work is scheduled to start by October 2014, with the possibility of completion between three and five years.