Engineering News reports that the Department of Transport and the Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) are making progress with the R1.4-billion programme to upgrade infrastructure and implement refurbishments to reopen the Mabopane Corridor.

Pienaarspoort to Pretoria and Mabopane to Pretoria services were resumed on 17 January. This followed the resumption of limited services on the Saulsville to Pretoria section in October last year. The Johannesburg to Naledi line will resume operations on 30 March, and the Mabopane Line will return to full service by the end of July. More than R700-million has been spent on the programme, including R255-million on 14 substations. The upgraded substations will allow for more trains to be added on to the system and copper content has been reduced to make Prasa's assets less attractive to criminals. Additionally, 163 km of overhead track equipment was installed at a cost of R383-million and R38-million has been spent on the Mabopane perimeter walling on signal equipment rooms. The station rehabilitation programme for 23 stations at a cost of R100-million has started. Currently, five stations, where repairs and minor renovations have been done to bring the stations to basic functionality, are operational. These are the Mabopane, Pretoria North, Mountain View, Hercules and Pretoria stations. Contractors have been appointed to rehabilitate an additional six stations, namely Soshanguve, Kopanong, Akasiaboom 4, Tailorshoop, Garankuwa and Dewildt.

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