The file was buried in the deepest drawer but government managed to dust it off. One clean swipe was enough to revive the Light Railway Transit (LRT). By inviting local and foreign professionals to express their interests in becoming the project manager, the State has given a new lease of life to the introduction of an alternative transport system in Mauritius. But the sight of the first carriage in Mauritius is still dream material.

The LRT has been waiting in the wings for more than a decade. Successive governments have ordered a series of studies. The scale and social implications of the project scared some. Others thought the LRT did not make financial sense. While everyone dilly-dallied, the costs soared. Introducing a light railway between Port-Louis and Curepipe will now cost no less than Rs 14 billion.

<B>Yet another study</B>

?The implementation of the LRT remains an integral part of our long-term strategy for mass transport?, said Pravind Jugnauth, minister of Finance, in his latest budget speech. Recruiting a project manager backs his belief in this new transport system. Once a high calibre professional is chosen, the project will move up a level. Once the institutional set-up is ready, all feasibility studies will have to be completed. These relate to costing, financing, engineering as well as social aspects of the project. Only then will the government finally decide whether it wants to go ahead with the LRT.

Recruiting a project manager puts the LRT back on track but whether it will reach its destination is another matter. There is a long way to go as government has yet to put its money where its mouth is. Only Rs 70 million have been budgeted for the LRT this year. These should cover an umpteenth study. The first phases, which include preparatory work and feasibility studies, should be part-funded by the World Bank. The rest should be financed by government, banks and international institutions.

The proposed LRT would run between Port-Louis and Curepipe. It would follow the alignment of the old Midland Railway, which ceased operations altogether in 1964. Most of the route is still visible although some sections have been built over. There would be 13 stations along the 25 km route, which will thread through the country?s main towns, but bypassing the Ebène cybercity. The LRT and the upgrading of the transport system will be accompanied by the introduction of congestion pricing. This should take people out of their private cars and onto railway carriages. The carrot-and-stick mechanism might well work, but, at this moment in time, the LRT needs a whip.

<B>New measures to reduce traffic jams in Port-Louis</B>

Part of the anti-congestion project, a third lane on Place d?Armes, became operational yesterday. This new measure, decided on by the ministry of Public Infrastructures, has already reduced congestion in the city centre. The former taxi parking slots, situated on the far left of the road have been eliminated and moved to Duke of Edinburg Street. The pavements have also been eliminated and replaced by pedestrian traffic lights. This project, explains the ministry of Public Infrastructure, will help towards a better coordination between traffic lights. An initiative long overdue.

The minister of Infrastructures has also asked driving schools to keep off the city streets during rush hours and has contacted the municipalities so that garbage trucks avoid circulating on the main roads of Port-Louis at the same times. He is asking all drivers to be patient, as it will take a while before there is any improvement in the traffic situation but the minister is hoping that these measures will resolve at least 10% of circulation problems. The number of cars that enters the capital increases by 7% every year. Unfortunately, there is one little problem, traffic jams have increased in Rose-Hill especially in the afternoon and this situation might go on for at least a month, due to the construction of the Ebene-Rose-Hill Link Road.