By JULIUS PHIRI –
THE China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) will start construction of railway lines from Chipata to Mpika station and from Nseluka to Mpulungu worth US$ 2.7 billion, next year.
The company says work would start as soon as feasibility studies were concluded.
The Eastern railway line would cost $1,992,028,500, while the Northern line would gobble $668,115,000.
The total length for the two railway lines is 760.04 kilometres.
In 2011, the Chinese company signed the feasibility agreement with the Zambian Government on the construction of the Chipata to Tanzania-Zambia Railway authority (TAZARA) point at Mpika via Petauke
and Nseluka to the port of Mpulungu.
CCECC vice- president Zhao Zhongning said this when he paid a courtesy call on Eastern Province Assistant Secretary Beenzu Chikuba in Chipata on Monday.
Mr Zhao said the works would be done after the company had successfully completed the feasibility studies on the construction of the railway line.
He said the construction of the lines would be done concurrently within five years.
Mr Zhao  said the company would embark on the construction of the railway lines for Eastern and Northern lines beginning next year.
He said the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Government and his company was expected to be signed this week for the construction of the two railway lines.
The construction of the railway line from Mpika to Chipata would cover 569.151 kilometres, while the line from Nseluka to Mpulungu is 190.89 kilometres.
The railway lines would assist in the integration and promotion of economic growth in Eastern and Northern Zambia.
Ms Chikuba said Government was pleased with the dedication so far exhibited by the company in the bid to construct the two railway lines.
She said the Government was looking forward to working with the CCECC in the construction of other such important links.