THE Tanzania Railways Corporation (TRC) has appealed to traditional elders, especially in areas traversed by the standard gauge railway (SGR) to assist in building public adherence to protecting the transportation infrastructure.

Masanja  Kadogosa, the TRC director general, made this appeal during a familiarisation tour by chiefs from across the country to the SGR station in the capital yesterday, where TRC officials accompanied them on a 50-kilometre ride.

The traditional leaders are visiting different development projects undertaken by the government, an initiative that follows a meeting they held with President Samia Suluhu Hassan at the weekend.

The local chiefs visited the government city and the heroes’ monument within that enclave at Mtumba before touring the University of Dodoma, officials said.

In his remarks, the CEO said that preparations for the start of the Dar es Salaam to Dodoma speed train services are at an advanced stage with contractors putting on the finishing touches to its launching.

Traditional leaders can play an important role in protecting the railway infrastructures by educating the public on the importance of the project to the nation, he said, noting that the government has injected large sums of money into the project.

He was affirmative that traditional leaders should ensure people protect the railway, appealing to the chiefs to make use of their being with the people to inculcate positive attitudes towards protecting the flagship infrastructure.

Dodona traditional leader Chief Mazengo II expressed appreciation for the government’s resolve to make such a great investment, pointing at the continued disbursement of funds for strategic projects around the country.

Members of the public living in areas where strategic projects are located need to utilize opportunities availed by the transport system, with initial SGR train services between Dar es Salaam and Morogoro having commenced on June 14.

Preparation for the Dar es Salaam-Dodoma is set for Thursday, July 25 the second stage of the speed train operational schedule. SGR trains will run at 160 km per hour on average, sharply decreasing travel time between Dar es Salaam and Morogoro.

It will now take two hours, half of the four-hour bus journey and five-hour train rides on the meter-gauge railway now being revamped.