2023-11-21 23:05:05
It has been four years since the passenger train has stopped making the journey between Ouagadougou and Abidjan. This since the closure of the border between the two countries, following the Covid-19 pandemic. At the end of last week, a first passenger train left for Bobo Dioulasso. A recovery limited to the Burkinabè borders, but bringing hope.
After several missed meetings, the passenger train finally resumed service last week. Oussina Soulama is a retired driver. He was called back for the restart of activities. A relief for someone who has devoted his entire career to the railways: “ We hoped it would resume. It’s a good thing for everyone as well the Ivorians than for the Burkinabè. The railways have been my whole life, it means a lot to me. »
In the small market located near the station, there is also relief. Asseta Gansoré helps her mother manage a small fruit and vegetable business there. Travelers and their companions were their first customers. She is already delighted with this resumption, even if timid, of these journeys: “ It will do us good because since the train stopped, there are no more customers. Nobody comes here, we don’t sell anything anymore. There is nothing, we no longer gain anything here. The goods arrive, but it’s expensive. There are no customers either. We come because we don’t want to stay at home, explains the young woman. Before, there were a lot of people, there were also foreigners who came and it made good money. »
The trip stops at Bobo Dioulasso
For this resumption, the Sitarail passenger service consists of two cars, with a total capacity of nearly 200 passengers. For the moment, the train will not cross the Ivorian border, the journey will stop at Bobo Dioulasso, explains Roland Somda, the Burkinabè Minister of Transport: “ It came back to us that the Ivorian party says it is not ready for the resumption of passenger trains under current conditions. The reason, specifies the minister, it would be the railway infrastructure which would not be in an acceptable state to allow passenger activity. The freight train, which is I don’t know how many times heavier than the passenger train, whistles on the same infrastructure. This is actually what we don’t understand. We will contact the Ivorian side to understand the real reasons and what work needs to be done to remove this bottleneck. »
A train trip highly popular with the population. Compared to the bus, the journey is slightly more expensive, but more convenient for commerce and deemed safer than by road. On this subject, the authorities assure that the appropriate measures have been taken.
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