Residents on URC land refuse to make way for railway line repairs

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Residents who encroached into the land that belongs to Uganda Railway Corporation (URC) declined to give room for the rehabilitation of the railway line.

In 2020, before the Resettlement Action Plan (RAP) was undertaken, URC signed a contract with the Spanish contractor Imathia Construction to construct a concrete sleeper railway line from Kampala to Mukono.

In February this year, the China Road and Bridge Corporation completed the line from Mukono to Malaba.

The work included the supply and installation of new railway track materials, ballasting, culvert construction and upgrading the level crossings.

The second phase is supposed to commence on April 3 this year but the Spanish contractor who will rehabilitate the line from Mukono to Kampala is stuck after the residents refused to leave.

The contractor requested residents to move 10 metres away from the railway reserve to allow for smooth construction.

However, some of the residents with permanent houses and businesses in the reserve have since refused to evacuate, saying they will be affected.

At least 9,000 people will be affected by the project in Kampala, Wakiso and Mukono. However, most of these won’t be affected by the 10-meter requirement, according to the officials.